NEW DELHI: The central government has written to all states and union territories asking them to ensure that vaccines in government and private Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) were not wasted. It also said that the states should “swap near expiry vials with long expiry ones” so that the vaccines are not wasted.
“This is in reference to the issue of near expiry COVID vaccines available at private CVCs. Earlier also directions have been issued to specific States of West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra,” Vikas Sheel, additional secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said in a letter.
“It is reiterated that the Health Ministry has no objection for the states/UTs to consider the near expiry vaccine vials of private CVCs with long expiry vaccine vials available with government CVCs after due diligence. Kindly ensure that no vials of COVID vaccine in government CVCs as well as in private CVCs should be wasted. The provision of entry of these exchanged vaccines is available in CoWIN,” he said.
The ministry had earlier communicated to all the states to carry out regular reviews on the status of Covid vaccines if available with the private CVCs within the states/UTs and is expected to expire in the coming months.
As reported by this newspaper, medium and large-sized hospitals had sought the central government’s help in urgently acquiring a large quantity of Covid vaccine doses stocked with them which were to expire by March.
