Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf-Life Extension
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved the extension of the expiration date of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine for an additional three months. The expiration date has been extended from six months to nine months. This extension of expiration date applies only to refrigerated vials of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine that have been stored consistent with the manufacturer’s storage conditions.
This shelf-life extension applies to all inventory dated to expire on March 7, 2022 or later. Vaccine dated prior to March 7, 2022 should be disposed of according to state and local regulation and reported as waste according to your COVID-19 provider agreement.
Please visit the J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Expiry Checker webpage to confirm expiration dates.
J&J’s updated COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet can be found here.
For more information, please refer to DSHS’ March 9th communication, “Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 Vaccine Expiration Date Extension.”
COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions relating to COVID-19 vaccine administration:
Q: An 11-year-old individual comes in to receive their 1st dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. They return a month later and are now 12 years old. Which vaccine product do you administer as the second dose?
A: Children should receive the age-appropriate vaccine formulation and follow the schedule based on their age on the day of vaccination, regardless of their size or weight.
Children who turn from the age of 11 years to 12 years between their first and second dose in the primary regimen may receive, either: (1) the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine formulation authorized for use in people ages 5 through 11 years (each 0.2 mL dose containing 10 µg) (orange cap); or (2) the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine formulation authorized for use in people ages 12 years and older (each 0.3 mL dose containing 30 µg) (purple or gray cap). This dosing is in accordance with the FDA EUA and if such dosing occurred, this is not considered an error and VAERS reporting is not indicated.
For more information, please visit the Vaccination of children and adolescents section of the CDC’s Interim Clinical Considerations.
Q: We have a patient who recently came to the U.S. from England. They received 2 doses of Novavax. They are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised. What is the next step in their vaccination process?
A: They should receive a single dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after receiving the last dose of the non-FDA-approved or -authorized primary series and an mRNA booster dose at least 3 months after last primary series dose, for a total of four vaccine doses. For more information, please visit Appendix E of the CDC’s Interim Clinical Considerations.
Q: My 54-year-old patient receiving long term steroid treatment receives both a primary series and a booster dose of J&J COVID-19 vaccine. Can we administer an additional dose and what vaccine(s) do we use?
A: Administer a third dose (additional mRNA vaccine) at least 2 months after the 2nd dose. (Pfizer: 0.3mL, or Moderna 0.5mL.) Then, the vaccination series is complete; no additional vaccinations are needed. For more information, please visit Appendix B of the CDC’s Interim Clinical Considerations.
Q: I have a patient seeking vaccination at the end of the clinical day, but I would have to puncture a new vaccine vial. I am concerned I will have to waste doses of vaccine. Should I ask the person to return another time for vaccination?
A: No. Never miss an opportunity to vaccinate every eligible person and limit wastage. For more information, please visit the CDC’s guidelines for Identification, Disposal, and Reporting of COVID-19 Vaccine Wastage.
Q: Do I need to observe patients after vaccination?
A: Yes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following observation periods after COVID-19 vaccination:
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30 minutes for people with a contraindication to a different type of COVID-19 vaccine
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15 minutes for all other people
For more information, please visit the Contraindications and precautions section of CDC’s Interim Clinical Considerations.
COVID-19 Vaccine Best Practice: Check Expiration Dates Regularly
Are you regularly checking your COVID-19 vaccine expiration dates? Each vaccine manufacturer has a distinct process for verifying vaccine expiration dates. Follow the steps below to check the expiration of your Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines:
Pfizer
To confirm expiry dates for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (orange, gray, or purple cap), providers can visit this webpage and select Expiry Information.
Moderna
To confirm expiry dates for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, visit the Moderna website, enter the vaccine lot number, and click submit.
J&J/Janssen
To confirm expiry dates for J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, use one of the following methods:
- Enter the lot number (from the carton or vial) from the carton or vial using this website,
- Call J&J’s automated response system at 1-800-565-4008, or
- Scan the QR code or the Data Matrix code using a smartphone camera.
Expert Tip: Need Assistance with VAOS Account Suspension?
If your VAOS account has been suspended and you are getting your order requests automatically denied, please contact the correct channel so that your account can be unlocked. Be sure to include an up-to-date data logger certificate of calibration in your email.
If you are a COVID-19 vaccine provider only, please send your information to VacEnroll: COVID19VacEnroll@dshs.texas.gov.
If you are a COVID-19 vaccine provider and a TVFC/ASN provider, please send your information to the VacCallCenter: VacCallCenter@dshs.texas.gov.
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