Canadian health authorities announced on Saturday their decision to postpone by one month the expiry date of nearly 50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, which expired on May 31.
Health Canada assured in a statement that its approval of a postponement of thirty days, from May 31 to July 1, "of the expiration date of two lots of AstraZeneca", "is based on scientific evidence".
This change "will allow provinces and territories to use their existing stocks," said the Department of Health.
A spokesperson for Health Canada said there were, as of May 22, about 49,000 doses of AstraZeneca with an expiration date of May 31 across the country.
According to the CBC channel, a good part of these doses must be used in the province of Ontario.
55% of the population received one dose and 5% two doses
The country's health authorities had approved a six-month shelf life for AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine.
They indicate having received on May 27, a document from the company "comprising data on the stability of the product and data from mathematical models which demonstrated that the quality, safety and efficacy of the two batches in question would be maintained for a period of time. an additional month, or seven months in all ”.
Several Canadian provinces announced in May their decision to suspend the administration of AstraZeneca serum as a precaution for people receiving their first dose of vaccine, due to an increase in the number of vaccine-related thromboses.
But it continues to be used by people who have received a first dose of AstraZeneca and wish to receive a second dose of the same product.
Some 23 million doses of vaccine have so far been administered in Canada, which has a population of 38 million.
Just over 55% of the population received one dose and 5% received two doses.
In addition to AstraZeneca, vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are approved in Canada.