Eight workers at a nursing home in Germany were accidentally injected with five doses each of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, according to reports.
The seven women and a man – aged between 38 and 54 – work in the unit in the northeastern town of Stralsund, where they were beaten as part of a priority group, Agence France-Presse reported.
But while they were inoculated on Sunday, each received five doses at a time, said Stefan Kerth, the administrator of the Vorpommern-Ruegen district where the house is located.
Four were hospitalized for observation after mild flu-like symptoms, while the others were sent home.
“I deeply regret this incident,” said Kerth, who blamed the incident for a human error. “I hope that all those affected do not suffer serious side effects.”
The incident came after some German districts refused to use the vaccines received over the weekend, suspected that cold conditions were interrupted during delivery, Reuters reported.
Prior to the launch of vaccination campaigns in several European countries this weekend, German drug manufacturer BioNTech said that higher-than-normal doses were injected during the studies without any serious side effects.
The vaccine, which is designed to be given in two injections, is given in vials containing every five doses once diluted.
On Monday, a Health Ministry spokeswoman said the ampoules could each be used to deliver up to six doses.