CDSCO approves shelf life of COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 vaccine stock which has not been utilised in private hospitals and nearing expiry has been taken up for redistribution by respective state governments, as advised by the Union government, for their timely utilisation, he said.

The Central Drugs Standard Organisation (CDSO) has approved the shelf life of COVID-19 vaccines Covaxin to 12 months, Covishield to nine months, and ZyCoV-D to six months from the date of manufacture, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Regarding administration of booster doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidences related to this aspect.

Responding to a question on the shelf life of Covid vaccines approved in the country and their active period among the vaccinated people, Mr. Mandaviya, in a written reply, said the vaccines were developed very recently, therefore, scientific evidence regarding the duration of protection is still evolving globally.