Luxembourg has discarded over 1.1 million expired COVID-19 vaccine doses since the vaccine's introduction in the country in 2021, as stated by Health Minister Martine Deprez.
According to Lux Times, the destroyed vaccines, valued at nearly €23.5 million, were part of a joint procurement process led by the European Commission.
The disposal of these vaccines, which has occurred over the past three years, comes as demand for the vaccine has decreased following the World Health Organization's declaration of the end of the global health emergency in May last year and the lifting of pandemic restrictions by the Luxembourg government.
In the last week of 2023, Luxembourg reported just 338 COVID-19 cases, a significant drop from the week before Christmas. Since October, the government has ordered the destruction of an additional 350,000 expired doses, worth around €7 million.
The total number of discarded vaccines is expected to increase, with another 326,000 doses in stock due to expire within the next 12 months.
Deprez explained that Luxembourg, like other EU countries, is contractually obligated to purchase a proportional number of doses, leading to the inevitability of some doses being destroyed for various reasons.
This situation reflects a broader challenge faced by many countries in managing vaccine supplies amidst fluctuating demand and the evolving nature of the pandemic.
