LANSING, Michigan (WXYZ) – Several shipments of the Moderna vaccine to Michigan have been compromised due to a storage problem, Michigan State Police said Tuesday.
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A total of 21 shipments from McKesson Corporation, a pharmaceutical distributor, were affected during transportation on Sunday, January 17th. It was reported that the transport temperature was out of range and became too cold. Now McKesson is investigating the case.
This delay adds to the existing problems with the distribution process in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
Trying to get the vaccine was not easy, just trying to get a place comes down to the luck of the draw. People who want the vaccine are frustrated and worried about when they might get it.
“I can’t even get through. I didn’t even talk to one person, “said Karie Wilson, a professor at Merritt Academy in Macomb County.
Wilson tried to get the vaccine as soon as the state entered Phase 1B.
“I called 163 times today and I didn’t even get the recording,” she said.
Wilson says it’s frustrating not being able to book an hour, but it’s even more frustrating not knowing when an hour will open.
“There are not enough meetings for everyone eligible to get a vaccine right now,” said De Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical officer at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Khaldun appeared on Tuesday at 7 UpFront, talking about the impact of Moderna transport, which was destroyed due to temperature control problems.
“So all of that shipment was actually reshipped with McKesson today, and we know we’re getting to those 21 sites,” he said. “I’ll just say that the biggest problem we have is that there just aren’t enough. vaccines to circulate. “
Karie Wilson says she understands that counties are not getting the doses of vaccine they want, but says something else needs to be done.
“We can’t even get on a waiting list or anything like that,” Wilson said. “So I feel like there is a better system in place, it wouldn’t be so anxious, we would feel at least as if we were in the process, we are in line to essentially get a dose. “
Dr. Khaldun says they have been in contact with the Biden administration and requested several vaccines in Michigan. We will wait and see.
McKesson is now repackaging additional vaccines to be shipped as replacement doses. Most of the 21 shipments that were compromised were returned on Monday night, and the rest will be sent on Tuesday.
The company says six more shipments were detained to see if there were any problems with the vaccine. This can cause a delay in scheduled vaccinations.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been notified.
“We are committed to accelerating vaccine delivery as we strive to reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over the age of 16 as quickly as possible with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Joneigh. Khaldun, in a statement released Tuesday. . “While it is unfortunate that this vaccine cannot be used, we are pleased that the protective measures put in place to ensure the integrity of the vaccine have worked. This is the first report on a potentially compromised vaccine during transportation to Michigan, and we are working quickly with the distributor to have the replacement vaccine shipped. ”
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