Sinovac Covid-19 Vaccine Expired in March 2021; Researcher Clarifies

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The research team head of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine Clinical Trial from Bandung Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Kusnandi Rusmil, said the expiration date for the Chinese-made vaccine is around 2 to 3 years according to the manufacturer’s statement. However, the date is accelerated.

“It is changed to six months because it will be used as soon as possible,” said Kusnandi on Tuesday, March 9.

He said the immediate use also aimed at preventing the accumulation of the vaccine supply. “I have once asked Bio Farma. They say the expiry date is changed so that [the vaccine supply] that comes first can be quickly used,” Kusnandi explained.

However, he denied that all vaccines have an expiration date of six months as it depends on the type.

State pharmacy Bio Farma with the approval of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) accelerated the expiration date of the vaccine produced by Sinovac, which is now being used in the national vaccination program. For the first batch of vaccine production, the date was changed from September 19, 2023, to March 20, 2021.

Kusnadi suggested all parties follow the new expiration date set by Bio Farma. However, he claimed there is still an extended usage time. “According to the BPOM’s regulation, there is an extra time [to use the Covid-19 vaccine after its expiration date] of up to one month,” he said.

Read: Bima Arya: Covid-19 Vaccines Work Well as No More Health Worker Test Positive

ANWAR SISWADI