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. 2022 Apr 26;7(4):e009010. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009010

Table 2.

COVID-19 vaccine characteristics

Vaccine WHO EUL holder Doses/vial Shelf-life Storage
COMIRNATY
COVD-19 mRNA vaccine (nucleoside modified)		 BioNTech
Manufacturing GmbH		 6 9 months after date of manufacture for undiluted vaccine at storage temperature −90°C to −60°C

  • −80°C to −60°C in ULT freezer

  • −90°C to −60°C in thermal shipper as temporary storage for up to 30 days from delivery (should be re-iced every 5 days if opened up to two times a day, less than 3 min at a time)

  • Up to 1 month (31 days) prior to dilution for undiluted thawed vaccine at +2°C to +8°C up to 2 hours for undiluted thawed vaccine at temperatures up to +30°C
VAXZEVRIA
COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1-S (recombinant))		 AstraZeneca AB/SK Bioscience Co. Ltd
AstraZeneca AB		 10 6 months for unopened vials stored at 2–8°C

  • 2–8°C

  • Opened vials can be stored at 2–25°C for use within 6 hours

  • Up to 25°C for 2 hours
COVISHIELD
COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1-S (recombinant))		 Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd 10 Unopened vials can be stored at 2–8°C for 6 months or up to 25°C for 2 hours
Opened vials can be stored at 2–25°C for use within 6 hours

  • 2–8°C
COVID-19 vaccine (Ad26.COV2-S (recombinant)) Janssen–Cilag International NV 5 Unopened vials −25°C to 15°C for 2 years
Unopened vials 2–8°C for 4.5 months of printed expiration date
Up to 25°C for 2 hours

  • 2–8°C

  • Or −20°C if kept unthawed in shipping conditions
SPIKEVAX
COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (nucleoside modified)		 Moderna Biotech
ModernaTX, Inc		 10, 15 9 months at storage temperature: 20°C±5°C

  • 20°C

  • Do not store on dry ice or below −40°C
Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell) Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd. (BIBP) 1, 2 or 5 24 months

  • 2–8°C
CoronaVac
COVID-19 vaccine (Vero Cell), inactivated		 Sinovac Life Sciences Co., Ltd 1, 2 and PFS 12 months

  • 2–8°C
COVAXIN
COVID-19 vaccine (whole virion inactivated corona virus vaccine)		 Bharat Biotech International Ltd 1, 5, 10, 20 9 months

  • 2–8°C
COVOVAX
COVID-19 vaccine (SARS-CoV-2 rS protein nanoparticle (recombinant))		 Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd 1, 10 9 months

  • 2–8°C
NUVAXOVID
COVID-19 vaccine (SARS-CoV-2 rS (recombinant, adjuvanted))		 Novavax CZ a.s 10 9 months

  • 2–8°C

EUL, Emergency use listing procedure; PFS, Prefilled syringe vaccine doses; ULT, Ultra low temperature.