Up to 1.7 million Covid vaccines risk being discarded in Belgium

In the coming months, up to 1.7 million Covid vaccines are at risk of being thrown away in Belgium because they are reaching their expiration date. The Belgian vaccination task force confirmed this on Monday following earlier reports in Le Soir. "But we are making every effort to limit the number of vaccines that will have to be destroyed as much as possible," said spokesperson Christopher Barzal.

Belgium currently has a reserve of 8.8 million vaccines, a number that exceeds its current needs. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Belgium has donated nearly 13 million vaccines, but national and international demand has fallen sharply in recent months. "At the same time, vaccines have a limited shelf life of 6 to 12 months. At their expiration date, the vaccines must be inexorably destroyed, according to the pharmaceutical standards in force," the task force said. 

On May 31, 436,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will expire, followed by another 90,000 doses of Pfizer and 790,000 Moderna vaccines in July. At the end of August, 422,000 Novavax vaccines will also reach their expiry date. The Belgian government is trying to limit the number of vaccines that will have to be destroyed to a minimum. "We are working with manufacturers, international partners and beneficiary countries to speed up the administrative procedures concerning donations. Every effort will be made through international multilateral and bilateral donations to prevent the loss of doses", it sounds. 

The Belgian government has also negotiated a suspension of already planned deliveries with Pfizer. This means that no more vaccines will be supplied in June, July and August. The vaccines that will be supplied from September will be adapted to the Omikron variant, although these still have to receive marketing authorisation from the European Medicines Agency.

(KR)

© BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE