HARRISBURG (KDKA) – The state says some COVID-19 vaccine suppliers inadvertently gave away doses intended to be reserved for second injections.
“In the short term, we are faced with requests for a second dose of Moderna vaccine that are much higher than the Moderna vaccine assigned to the state this week,” said Acting Health Minister Alison Beam.
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This does not affect the Pfizer vaccine.
Beam said about 200,000 second Moderna doses have been requested this week, which is roughly the state’s entire weekly Moderna allotment.
She describes it as a “structural problem” that started in early January and “got worse week after week.” Now the state is tackling it because it has become such a major problem. Beam says the state is working on a plan to move forward and secure second doses.
“We are working on tackling it this week. We will have corrected for it in the next two to three weeks, ”she said.
She didn’t want to say which providers made the mistake.
“First, we examined excess inventory that was not scheduled for administration this week and, as far as we could, used it to address this issue. Second, one of the remedies is to adjust the timing of the administration of the second dose of Moderna, ”said Beam.
Beam says all providers will follow CDC guidelines that say the minimum time between the first and second withdrawal is 28 days and the maximum is 42.
“By extending the time between doses, while staying within CDC guidelines, we can minimize any disruption to the first dose of vaccinations,” said Beam. “Our goal remains to get the extremely limited supply and the vaccine to humans as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
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Beam said there are about 30,000 to 60,000 people who will likely have to reschedule their second appointment one to two weeks later. As for initial appointments, there could be 30,000 to 55,000 doses that providers expected that will not be delivered.
Beam said anyone who has been given the wrong dose will not have to restart their vaccination process.
“There is no difference in the drug in the first and second dose,” said Beam.
The secretary said people should get their second shot in the same location as their first shot.
Health officials continued to insist that supply is still the biggest problem getting guns.
Dr. Debra Bogen, director of Allegheny County Health, says it keeps the first dose and second dose separate. As for other sites, she could not say.
At this point, Dr. No time for the county sites to expand into Phase 1A.
“The past weeks have focused on people aged 65 and older. About half of our doses have gone to those 65 and older so far, ”she said at Wednesday’s press conference.
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The county’s health department receives about 10% of the county’s vaccines. The majority goes to health systems and hospitals.