Stanford Medicine vaccinated staff and researchers last weekend who were not considered front-line health workers, according to a statement from Stanford officials, in a wrong step that further underscores the institution’s faulty vaccine distribution plan.
As reported for the first time by Stanford Daily, the vaccine doses offered by appointments on Saturday and Sunday at Stanford Hospital for clinical staff were administered to non-clinical staff only, Stanford Medicine confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, a Stanford spokesman said that “many individuals were rejected because they did not meet the necessary criteria..“Later in the day, a subsequent statement said in part:” Unfortunately, inaccurate information about the availability of the vaccine was circulating in our community last weekend, leading some ineligible employees to receive a vaccination.
Only front-line health workers were eligible to receive the vaccine at Stanford between December 17 and December 28. Other non-clinical employees are eligible as of Jan. 8, Daily reported.
But affiliates allegedly shared misinformation via e-mail and social media, saying there was an “excessive amount” of vaccines and adding that nonclinics, including faculty and students, could go a long way, according to Daily.
Stanford said Wednesday’s vaccinations are by invitation only, and notifications are sent through MyHealth and / or the department leader.
“At this time, Stanford Medicine is administering vaccines only to the health care workers the patient is facing,” the statement continued. We have addressed this issue and we are confident that we will continue to rapidly vaccinate the entire Stanford medical community through an ethical and fair trial.
This latest confusion in the launch of the Stanford Medicine vaccine comes almost two weeks after dozens of front-line residents came out in protest, saying they were passed during the initial vaccination phase. Leaders of the institution, after the protest, acknowledged that the algorithm used to distribute the vaccine was defective and apologized, promising to revise the priority plan for front-line workers.
Here is the latest full statement from Stanford Medicine on the latest combination of vaccinations:
“Across the country, health systems like Stanford Medicine are working hard to quickly vaccinate their health care workers in unprecedented conditions. Unfortunately, last weekend, inaccurate information was circulating about the availability of the vaccine in our community, which led some ineligible employees to receive a vaccine. At the time, Stanford Medicine administered vaccines only to health care workers facing patients. We have addressed this issue and we are confident that we will continue to rapidly vaccinate the entire Stanford medical community through an ethical and fair trial. “
Here is the full original statement from Stanford Medicine earlier Wednesday:
“Stanford Medicine was disappointed to learn of false information about vaccine availability. On Sunday, many individuals were rejected for failing to meet the required criteria. We recognize that ensuring an ethical and equitable vaccine distribution process depends on the commitment of vaccine recipients. , as well as our administration.
“At the moment, Stanford Medicine is administering vaccines to healthcare workers who are facing patients. Vaccinations are by invitation only, and notifications are sent through the MyHealth system and / or the department leader. This fair process follows the California Department of Public Health’s distribution and accounting guidelines and will allow us to vaccinate everyone in the Stanford Medicine community. “