The Advisory Panel on COVID-19 Vaccines today held a meeting during which members recommended the approval of an application to change the details of the BioNTech vaccine for shelf-life extension.

Under the application, the shelf-life of the BioNTech vaccine will be extended from five days to 31 days when being stored at a temperature ranging from two to eight degrees Celsius after thawing.

The Government welcomed the advisory panel’s recommendation, and considered that the new arrangement will enable greater flexibility for the storage, logistics and supply of the BioNTech vaccine.

It will closely keep in view the public’s demand for the BioNTech vaccine, the amount and timing of the vaccine supply, the storage period after vaccine dilution and the operations of community vaccination centres.

The Government added that it will holistically consider the future arrangement for providing the vaccination service of the BioNTech vaccine.