COVID-19: Canada extends expiry date for thousands of AstraZeneca vaccines by 1 month

As world continues to battle against COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario on Saturday received permission from Health Canada to extend expiry of some doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, saving thousands of shots from potentially going to waste. A spokesperson for Health Minister Christine Elliott said change means doses with an original expiry of May 31 can w be used until July 1.

Canada extends expiry date of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine

"Health Canada has issued an authorization to extend expiry date of specific lots of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from six months to seven months, following review of submitted stability data," Alexandra Hilkene said in a statement.

This latest development comes when pharmacies and physicians' offices in province had been rushing to administer thousands of shots this weekend ahead of ir previous Monday expiry date to avoid wasting doses. Ontario had been trying to redistribute a stockpile of 45,000 shots expiring on May 31 and 10,000 more going bad in June. But quality checks held up delivery of thousands of shots, and many didn't reach ir final destinations until Friday.

Canada authorizes Pfizer for 12 & older

Earlier in May, Canadian health officials said that y have become first to approve Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for s as young as 12. Dr Supriya Sharma, chief medical adviser at Health Canada, confirmed decision for s 12 to 15 and said it will help children return to a rmal life. Canada is first country to authorize Pfizer for that group. U.S. and European Union are also reviewing it. vaccine was previously authorized for anyone 16 or older.

Pfizer in late March released preliminary results from a vaccine study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers s 12 to 15 showing re were cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared with 18 among those given dummy shots.

(Im: AP)