As the U.K. became the first country to begin administering Pfizer COVID vaccine as soon as the jab received the regulators' approval on December 7, British officials were surprised to get an extra dose on each vial. During their weekly webinar o December 17, the National Health Services (NHS) advised the clinicians to use the extra shot "at their discretion."
It was different from the NHS' earlier order to dispose the 6th jabs on each vial, wasting large amounts of these precious vaccines against coronavirus. It was confirmed to Daily Mail by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) that 'small' amounts of the vaccines jab are getting wasted.
NHS order use of Pfizer COVID Vaccine extra doses
However, according to Telegraph, the change of heart came after the US Food and Drug Administration advised the American doctors on December 16 that they may use the extra dose since the country is still under a public health emergency.
Each Pfizer COVID vaccine vial was anticipated to include five doses, which are enough to give five people their first shot as the U.K. started its mass roll-out. The second dose will be administered after 21 days to get full protection against the SARS-COV 2 virus. However, GPs have found that it is actually possible to make six doses out of the vials.
The UK has pre-ordered a total of 40 million vaccine doses from Pfizer to vaccinate about a third of U.K.'s population. For December, 800,000 doses have already been delivered while the rest are expected to arrive in 2021. The extra dose will boost the available vaccine in the U.K. by 20%, which would allow administering shots to 160,000 more people for December or up to 8 million people once the British government received all its ordered Pfizer vaccines.
What's in the Pfizer COVID vaccine vial?
According to MHRA, each Pfizer COVID vaccine vial contains 0.45ml of the jab. It was expected to carry five doses, each administered in 0.3ml shots. However, it is already a normal practice for a vaccine to diluted with 1.8ml of a sodium chloride solution before it is given out. This means each vial could hold as much as 2.25 ml, which would be theoretically enough for up to 7.5 doses.
A spokesperson of Pfizer explained that each vial would contain 'at least' five doses, but the leftover can be different depending on the type of syringes and needles that doctors use. The spokesperson declined to give a recommendation about how to use the remaining vaccine from each vial. "This is a matter for regulators to advise on," he told Daily Mail.
Pfizer confirmed that it overfilled the vials to ensure that the promised five doses will be attained and extracted for vaccination even when accidents like spillages while in transport. The pharmaceutical company also said that there is the extra dose is not really wasted since it was only serves as a backup never and not intended to be used.
Meanwhile, American doctors are already using additional portions after its regulator approved the be administration of the extra doses.
Related article: Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Results Shows 95% Effectiveness, Hopes to Release First Batch Early December
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Written by CJ Robles
