The following is a message from Alberta Health:
Extended Expiry Dates
Health Canada has authorized a three-month extension to Pfizer BioNTech cartons and vials with expiry dates between August 2021 and February 2022, as long as all approved storage and handling conditions have been maintained which includes storage temperature at -90℃ to -60℃. This extension may apply to approximately 290,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine currently in Alberta.
The Alberta Vaccine Inventory (AVI) system may not be able to incorporate and display these updated expiry dates. Therefore, please watch for a general notice on the AVI webpage regarding these expiry extensions, and retain a copy of the attached Pfizer letter for your reference. The vaccine should be labeled with the new expiry date to prevent wastage.
Expanded Ultra Low Storage
Health Canada has also authorized expansion of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine ultra-low temperature range to allow storage between -90℃ to -60℃. Previously vaccine could not be stored below -80℃.
Policy Updates
Please refer to the attached letter from Pfizer for further details on these two changes. As noted in the letter, both of these changes will be reflected in the revised Product Monograph. These changes are also reflected in Alberta’s Storage and Handling Policy for COVID-19 Vaccine.
If you have questions regarding Alberta Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine policies please email: health.imm@gov.ab.ca.
