Health Department to destroy over 90 000 expired Covid-19 jabs

The jabs will expire at the end of the month

“Due to the short shelf life of the Pfizer vaccine, all countries are challenged to utilise vaccines before expiry,” the department said on Tuesday.

“At the end of this month of March, about 92 370 doses of Pfizer vaccine are due to expire and will be disposed according to minimum standard for the disposal and destruction of medicines and scheduled substances.”

South Africa has seen a slow uptake in vaccinations with only some 30% of the country’s population fully inoculated against Covid-19. 

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Nevertheless, the department said the disposal of vaccines is nothing unusual. 

“The volume due to expire is equivalent to 0.24% of all Pfizer doses received --which is 39 272 220 doses since February 2021—and is under the World Health Organization 10% acceptable ratio of vaccine waste.”

The department warns that the next expiry date would be in May.

“While the experts anticipate the next wave around winter period, the government working with together with various stakeholders continuously explore various vaccine demand creation strategies to increase vaccine uptake.

“We are not out of the woods yet, and all unvaccinated and partly vaccinated people are urged to fully vaccinate and get booster shots to enhance their protection from severe illness and death.”