The Colorado National Guard confiscated thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccine from a medical facility in Colorado Springs on Friday, the same day, health officials launched an investigation into potential problems with the vaccination process there, they said on Saturday the county officials.
The state health department discontinued the coronavirus vaccine at Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic, located in the Satellite Hotel in southeastern Colorado Springs, after public health officials in El Paso County observed the clinic during the May vaccination process. Earlier in the day, Jared Verner, deputy public intelligence officer for the county’s health department, told the Gazette on Saturday.
The state health department has suspended the clinic’s ability to administer vaccines “as a result of vaccine storage and handling irregularities” observed by county health officials, according to a state health department statement released late Friday. Investigators are working to determine whether the actions observed on Friday were isolated or ongoing, the statement added.
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On Saturday, Verner said investigators will also look into whether vaccination documentation protocols have been followed.
“There is particular concern about possible temperature trips and the lack of regular temperature monitoring, as required for participation in the COVID-19 vaccination program,” he said.
The clinic will not receive doses while the investigation is ongoing, according to the state health department.
On Friday, members of the Guard confiscated thousands of doses from the clinic, which runs both Pfizer and Moderna, and brought them to the state laboratory. One hundred and fifty doses in pre-extracted syringes “will have to be wasted because the state is unable to verify that proper handling and temperatures have been maintained,” Verner said.
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The state health department must complete the investigation before deciding what to do with the remaining 3,000 doses, he said, adding that the department is consulting with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and vaccine manufacturers.
More than 1,000 appointments were canceled at the location on Saturday, in addition to 6,000 appointments scheduled through May 8, according to the state health department. The clinic has been administering the vaccine since March 1, Verner said Saturday.
People who had scheduled immunization schedules will be contacted by the state regarding rescheduling, but can reschedule themselves “with any available COVID-19 vaccine provider of their choice,” Verner said. “The state will also track these people to provide public health appointments in El Paso County, and the two agencies are working through the logistics of making the appointments available.”
The Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic is run by Sylvienash Moma, who has a doctorate in medical practice but is not a doctor. According to the clinic’s website, the services it offers are largely aesthetic, including facial treatments, laser hair removal, acne treatment, tattoo removal and Botox injections.
Attempts by Gazeta to contact the clinic for comments were unsuccessful. The clinic does not appear to have voicemail services. Its website shows that it is open on Saturdays from 9:00 to 16:00, but was closed on early Saturday afternoons. An indicator was displayed in front of the office that read: “Dr. Moma Health & Wellness Clinic offers COVID-19 vaccinations! ”
Meanwhile, patients who have already received their vaccinations at the clinic are wondering if they will need to be revaccinated. The clinic administered nearly 4,000 vaccines before Friday, according to state health officials.
Alison Christofferson, who received the first dose of Pfizer vaccine at the medical center on April 1, said she initially thought Dr. Moma was a doctor.
“After I made the appointment, I looked for the place and found it was a medical center,” Christofferson said. “But I thought, ‘If I can get Botox injections, they should be able to get a shot.’ “
She received an email late Friday saying the state health department had discontinued vaccines at the clinic.
“My first thought was, ‘Lord, I should have followed my gut and never gotten vaccinated there,'” Christofferson told the Gazette on Saturday. “It simply came to our notice then. But I wanted the vaccine, so I overworked my gut. ”
Christofferson received news of the suspension because he had a second appointment scheduled at the clinic. But Sue Aspenson, who received the second dose on Friday, received the news from a friend who is a contact ID.
“She contacted me (Friday) evening and told me we would probably see something on the news (about the suspension), but not to scare us about it,” Aspenson said. “But, of course, I was scared of that.”
Aspenson said he researched the El Paso County Health website in an attempt to figure out what his next move should be. She saw guidance from health officials for those who need to reschedule vaccination schedules, she said. But “what about people who have already received both photos? Looks like I can’t get any answers. ”
Christofferson, who is due to receive the second dose in about two weeks, is waiting for guidance from health officials before scheduling a meeting with another clinic.
Aspenson he hopes health officials will tell others – and others who have received two doses from the wellness clinic – what to do next.
“If I get a legitimate dose, then I don’t want to put more chemicals in my body,” she said. “But if the dose is not right, I still need the vaccine.”