US extends expiration dates on J&J COVID vaccine to 6 months

Federal health regulators have again extended the expiration dates on Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine by another six weeks

WASHINGTON -- Federal health regulators on Wednesday again extended the expiration dates on Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, providing health workers with six more weeks to use millions of doses of the shot. The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter to J&J that the shots remain safe and effective for at least six months when properly stored and refrigerated. It's the second time the FDA has extended the shelf life on the vaccines since June, when the agency said they could be used for up to 4 1/2 months. When first authorized in February, the FDA said the vaccines could be stored for three months at normal refrigeration levels. Health authorities in many states had recently warned that they could be forced to throw out thousands of doses of the one-shot vaccine without an extension. The change gives health providers more time to use remaining shots sitting at pharmacies, hospitals and clinics. After plateauing earlier this summer, vaccination rates have begun climbing again as the contagious delta variant surges across many parts of the country.