[GuB-42]

Not sure about that. When the mass vaccination phase will end, sure, but now, with adequate planning, we can still make good use of these multi-dose vials. 3% waste is bad but not that bad.

I remember in the beginning of the vaccination campaign that the vials themselves were in short order. It is probably all sorted out but making 10 times more will create additional logistics and production challenges. Is it worth it in order to save less than 3% of the substance?

And there are solutions to the wasted doses. Basically, plan the vaccinations ahead to have the required number of people and setup a waiting list so that if someone doesn't show up, call someone else. Where I got vaccinated, I asked them the question about the potentially wasted extra doses, and they proudly told me that using that method they didn't waste a single dose out of the 10000+ they administered.

EDIT: As for the New-Zealand reference, we can also say that we could have vaccinated 0.5% if India with all these doses, which sounds much less impressive. It is all a matter of proportion. I also think that in the case of New-Zealand, right now, being a remote island is more of a problem than the availability of doses, thankfully, it is also helps them keeping covid at bay.

[detaro]

But the "plan the vaccinations" doesn't happen in countries that are at a point where most people who can be bothered to make an appointment already got vaccinated and they rely on making it easily available for walk-ins in as many places as possible to reach the rest.

[roenxi]

Vaccines aren't free but aren't expensive to produce. If people are just walking in off the street to be vaccinated, with no planning, then it is probably past the point where 3% wastage is material.

Waste not want not, a 3% loss isn't great. But this must be one of the fastest rollouts of a vaccine in human history - it just doesn't matter that much. The 97% that is not wasted is the important part.

[detaro]

Vaccines are also in extremely limited supply, globally speaking, and it's not a great look for countries to act is if throwing away millions of doses isn't a big deal while other countries are limited by not getting enough.