LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Moderna, one of the country's leading COVID-19 vaccines, is increasing the number of doses in each vial by 40 percent.
The company just received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to make the change Friday.
"So instead of being able to vaccinate only 10 people were now able to vaccinate 14," says Robert Hawkes, Florida Gulf Coast University Director of Physician's Assistance Program. "The typical vile will contain about 10 doses. So Moderna has asked to increase the number of doses per vile, which really will help increase the amount of vaccines that will be available in the community."
Hawkes says 10 doses per vial is an industry-standard. But to create room for the new doses, the ‘dead space or air’ at the top will now be filled with the vaccine.
The goal of the change is to lower production costs and speed up the rate at which states are administering the COVID-19 Vaccine.
