A health worker finds a vial of liquid pentavalent vaccine at the session site. The vial was opened 4 hours ago, the VVM shows Stage 1 (square still lighter than circle), ambient temperature is 24°C, and the vial contains 4 doses. According to the open vial policy, the correct action is:

• A Discard the vial immediately as it has been opened more than 2 hours
• B Store in cold chain after the session and use for 28 days
• C Use only if a freeze-indicator shows the vial was never frozen
• D Continue to use the remaining doses in this session and discard at end of session day ✓

Explanation

Pentavalent vaccine is a non-live vaccine and is covered under the open vial policy. Since VVM is at Stage 1 (still usable), the vial is not expired, and cold chain has been maintained, the remaining doses should be used during the same session day. At the end of the session, if there are remaining doses, the vial is discarded (session-site vials do not go back into storage). The 28-day re-use applies only to vials kept in cold chain post-session for facility-based immunisation, not mobile session sites.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.