The Health Ministry on Thursday said that concerns regarding the absence of an expiry date on the Covaxin vial, one of the two approved-for-use COVID-19 vaccines in India, were “completely unfounded and without basis” as the expiry date was mentioned on the label of the vaccine.
The clarification came after Chhattisgarh Health Minister T. S. Singh Deo wrote to the Ministry on various concerns over the supply of Covaxin. The State Health Minister also tweeted about the absence of an expiration date on the vials of the vaccine.
In its letter, the Ministry further added that the Central Drugs Standards and Control Organisation, headed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), had granted permission to manufacture the two COVID-19 vaccines based on the prescribed procedure and after due evaluation of pre-clinical and clinical trial data.
The Health Ministry has now asked the State to improve the vaccine coverage of its frontline workers.
