Wisconsin loses a massive amount of vaccine doses
An unnamed Wisconsin hospital worker was fired following the arrest for destroying dozens of vials of the scarce supply of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The hospital worker removed dozens of vials of the COVID-19 vaccine from the pharmacy refrigerator that shifted the temperature of the medicine that diminishes and destroys the effectiveness of the vaccine of over 500 doses.
The incident occurred at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton over the weekend with 57 vials of the Moderna vaccine left on the counter overnight and the medicine needs to be kept at a temperature between 36°F to 46°F. Each vial contains 10 doses with nearly 570 doses ruining enough doses for 285 patients (each patient requires two doses).
A Wisconsin pharmacist was arrested for sabotaging 500+ doses of the #COVID19 vaccine by intentionally leaving them out of refrigeration.
Frontline workers in some places are refusing to take the vaccine. 50% refused in CA's Riverside County, and 40% in LA County, says @latimes. pic.twitter.com/x4CjHx5upU
— AJ+ (@ajplus) January 1, 2021
The Moderna vaccine has a 12-hour window for use after properly thawing from the frozen form. After further investigation and testing, some doses of the vaccine were salvageable though a majority of the vials had to be disposed of costing the hospital scarce doses.
The unnamed former hospital employee is facing criminal charges of criminal damage to property valued at $8,000 to $11,000, reckless endangerment of safety, and adulterating a prescription drug. The Aurora Medical Center administered more than 50 doses that were thawed later learning the batch was thawed twice that renders the medicine ineffective and the hospital has notified individuals who received these doses with none at risk.
