FDA has agreed to extend the shelf life of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 to six months. The previous shelf life was four and a half months.
The regulatory agency based its decision on data from ongoing studies involving vaccine doses stored at the previously indicated storage temperature of 2–8°C (35.6–46.4°F).
There is currently a stockpile of J&J viral-vector vaccine across the U.S. Vaccination rates in the U.S. have slumped in recent months. The rare possibility of blood clots stemming from the vaccine has contributed to diminished demand. And the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) continue to be the most popular options. More than 150 million Americans have received two doses of the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, while some 13 million have received the single-dose J&J vaccine.