Bengaluru: With confusion over the shelf life of the Covaxin vaccine continued, some private hospitals in Bengaluru could not start the drive for children from January 3.
While manufacturers, Bharat Biotech, have claimed a dose can be used up to one year from 2008.
Production time, the Ministry of Health Union has clarified that the expiration date on the vaccine bottle is final.
Karnataka has nearly 6 doses of lakh covaxin in a private hospital.
In November, Bharat Biotech said Vial Covaxin had proven their stability outside six months and can be used up to 12 months since the time of manufacturing.
The company has also issued communication to private hospitals from new doses – which were previously scheduled to end between September 2021 and June 2022 – will now be between March 2022 and September 2022.
However, replying to Karnataka questions related to the shelves about drugs Six more months, the Ministry of Health Union on December 23 stated: “All vaccines should not be used outside the expiration date as mentioned on the label of each vial.” This caused confusion among private hospitals.
Dr.
R Ravindra, former President of the Private Hospital and the Panti Jompo Association (Phan), said the company took a bottle to travel from several hospitals in Bengaluru on December 31.
“It’s likely to take two more weeks for the company to knock down the company.
The bottle and restore it,” he said.
Dr.
Ravindra, who heads Suguna Hospital, who also sends bottles to relieve, say they will not be able to provide a covaxin dose for children from Monday.
Sparsh Hospital has 12,000 doses of covaxin.
“This company has not taken our stock to replace or release it.
When we are waiting for it, we will not be able to manage the dose from January 3,” said Guruprasad Br, Head of the Sparsh Hospital.
Dosage is available at Apollo Apollo Hospitals, which has more than 4 lakh covaxin doses, has returned shares and expects 10,000 reliable or fresh doses on Sunday.
“We will vaccinate drive for children from Monday in three branches in Bengaluru and one in Mysuru.
The Cowin slot will be made open to booking online.
For the first three days, we will only have 10,000 doses and we expect further.
Supply, “Dr.
Yatheesh Govindaiah said, the Unit of Apollo Hospitals, Jayanagar.
At Manipal Hospital, vaccination for children with special needs will begin on Monday.
The hospital will use an unexpected dose.
According to Dr.
Arundhathi Chandrasekhar, Director, National Health Mission, Karnataka, not all doses of Covaxin with private hospitals have expired.
There are nearly 12,000-14,000 doses that have longer shelf life and they can be used, he said.
“We will not monitor vaccinations in private hospitals.
They have been instructed not to use expired doses, in accordance with the communication of the Indian government.
Now, their responsibilities and obligations,” he said.
When asked about labeling the Covaxin bottle with extended expiration, he said he must be clarified by the drug controller General India.
The member of the Covid Technical Advisory Committee in Karnataka said the manufacturer had to take back the expired dose and provide a new one.
“It’s a difficult problem involving children, parents, private hospitals, producers, and government.
The company must now play a responsible role by taking trust development steps,” said a member.
Phana members say most schools have been tied with the government for free vaccination programs.