(Newser)
‘A Houston doctor fired for allegedly stealing doses of coronavirus vaccine says he’s not the bastard the news around the world is. His name is Hasan Gokal New York Times that after a nurse punctured an 11-dose vial to administer a vaccination at an emergency worker vaccination event on December 29, she had to figure out what to do with the remaining doses before they expired in few hours. Gokal, who was overseeing the event, says health workers and police officers at the scene have refused it or have already been vaccinated. He says that after a Harris County official approved his plan to distribute the remaining doses, he began calling people on his phone’s contact list on the way home to find eligible recipients.
Gokal says he vaccinated nine mostly elderly people, including a 90-year-old woman, but a dose remained after the final beneficiary called shortly before the deadline to say they could not reach him. the home. He says that, with a few minutes to spare, he vaccinated his wife, whose lung condition made her eligible. Gokal says he told her, “I didn’t mean to give you this, but in half an hour I’ll have to throw it in the toilet.” He was fired a few days after telling his leader about vaccinations and submitting the documents. He says officials told him they should have brought the doses back to the office – where it had expired – or thrown them away. He was accused of stealing $ 135 worth of vaccine doses. A judge rejected the accusation days later, but the local prosecutor intends to present it to a large jury, reports ABC13. The Texas Medical Association has issued a statement of support for physicians taking steps to avoid wasting doses. (Read more stories about the coronavirus vaccine.)