Fifty ampoules of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine had to be dumped in Wisconsin last weekend because of “human error.”
TMJ4 Milwaukee, a local NBC affiliate, reported that the incident took place at an Advocate Aurora Health Medical Center in Grafton, Wis., When an employee removed the vials from a storage freezer to remove another object. Then, the employee accidentally failed to return the bottles to the freezer.
“We found out that about 50 ampoules of Moderna vaccine were inadvertently removed from a pharmacy refrigerator overnight,” a spokesman for Aurora’s lawyer told TMJ4. “While part of the vaccine was administered to team members on December 26 in the approved window 12 hours after refrigeration, unfortunately most of it had to be discarded due to the temperature storage requirements needed to maintain its viability. . “
The spokesman added: “We are clearly disappointed and regret that this has happened.”
Speaking to The Hill, a spokesman for Aurora Health’s attorney said: “Aurora Grafton’s vaccination program continues uninterrupted as we have been able to redirect vaccine supply from other Aurora sites and expect additional deliveries in the near future. “.
The spokesman said the hospital currently has no vials of the Pfizer vaccine, the only other COVID-19 vaccine that has been approved for use in the United States.
Although it should not be stored at the extreme below zero temperatures required by the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine should be stored at temperatures between minus 13 degrees and 5 degrees Fahrenheit or at temperatures between 36 F and 46 F for up to 30 days before thrown out.
In its fact sheet on the Moderna vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration notes that the specific requirements of the vaccine are due to the fact that the medicine does not contain preservatives and the particles inside are extremely fragile. Once the vaccine has been thawed, it cannot be frozen.
Like the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna immunization is given in two doses about a month apart. Each vial contains multiple doses.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 100,000 doses of Moderna vaccine and 84,825 doses of Pfizer vaccine have been allocated to the state. The latest data from the department states that so far 10,358 vaccines have been administered.
Updated at 17:42