Sinovac batch found with sediment declared safe
Vials of the China-made Sinovac vaccine found with sediment are safe to use, Medical Sciences Department chief Dr Supakit Sirilak announced on Tuesday.
Vials from the CoronaVac batch numbered C202105079 were flagged by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for containing a milky sediment at the bottom, Supakit said.
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) immediately collected samples from the batch and sent them to the department for laboratory analysis.
The batch carries the registration number 1C 3/64 (NBC), date of manufacture 10.05.2021 and date of expiration 09.11.2021.
Analysis of the vaccine samples in seven syringes and 15 vials showed normal physical characteristics of a milky white liquid that separated when left to settle for 3-4 minutes. After settling for approximately 10 minutes, the liquid was observed to have separated into a clear level on top and a white level below. The test was carried out at the Institute of Biological Products, which also found the acid-alkaline balance of the vaccine was within acceptable limits.
Meanwhile, checks on the temperature at which the batch was transported and stored revealed no problems.
Dr Supakit cautioned, however, that it was important to verify the physical characteristics of each vial of vaccine prior to use. Any vials found with sediment that does not dissolve after shaking, or precipitates quickly, must not be used and instead be reported to health authorities for investigation, he added.
