My nurse removed the protective cap from a preservative-free single dose vial (SDV), but the vial was not used. How long can we keep the SDV after we remove the protective cap?

Removing the protective cap increases the likelihood the septum or stopper of the SDV could be punctured. The puncture may not be visible. It is important to ensure that the rubber seal on an SDV is not punctured before use because SDVs do not contain a preservative. Discard any unused SDVs without a protective cap at the end of the workday. For additional details, see page 21 of CDC’s Vaccine Storage & Handling Toolkit at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/storage/toolkit/storage-handling-toolkit.pdf.