The Colorado National Guard seized thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccine from a medical spa in Colorado Springs on Friday, the same day health officials began an investigation into potential problems with the vaccination process there, provincial officials said Saturday.
The state health department has ordered the administration of the coronavirus vaccine to Dr. Jared Verner, deputy public information officer for the county’s health department, told The Gazette on Saturday.
The state health agency has suspended the clinic’s ability to administer the vaccines “due to irregularities in the storage and handling of vaccines,” observed by county health officials, according to a state health agency press release sent Friday. . Investigators are working to determine if actions observed Friday were isolated or in progress, the release added.
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On Saturday, Verner said researchers will also investigate whether vaccine administration documentation protocols were followed.
“There are particular concerns about possible temperature fluctuations and the lack of regular temperature monitoring, as required for participation in the COVID-19 vaccination program,” he said.
According to the state health department, the clinic will not be receiving doses while the study is ongoing.
On Friday, Guard members confiscated thousands of doses from the clinic, which administered both Pfizer and Moderna, and took them to the state lab. One hundred and fifty doses in pre-disposed syringes “will have to be wasted because the state cannot verify that proper handling and temperatures have been maintained,” said Verner.
All Fort Carson service members are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine
The state’s health department must complete its investigation before determining what to do with the remaining 3,000 doses, he said, adding that the department is consulting with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and vaccine manufacturers.
More than 1,000 appointments were canceled at the site Saturday, in addition to 6,000 appointments scheduled through May 8, according to the state health department. The clinic has been administering the vaccine since March 1, Verner said Saturday.
Individuals with a scheduled vaccination appointment will be contacted by the state regarding rescheduling, but can reschedule themselves “with any available COVID-19 vaccine provider they choose,” Verner said. “The state will also contact these people to offer appointments through El Paso County Public Health, and the two agencies are working on logistics to make appointments available.”
Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic is run by Sylvienash Moma, who has a doctorate in nursing practice but is not a physician. According to the clinic’s website, the services offered are largely aesthetic, including facials, laser hair removal, acne treatment, tattoo removal, and Botox injections.
Attempts by The Gazette to contact the clinic for comment have failed. The clinic does not seem to have voice mail. The website shows that it is open on Saturday from 9am to 4pm, but closed early Saturday afternoon. Outside the office door was a sign that read, “Dr. Moma Health & Wellness Clinic offers COVID-19 vaccinations!”
Meanwhile, patients who have already received their vaccinations at the clinic are wondering if they should be vaccinated again. State health officials said the clinic had administered nearly 4,000 vaccines by Friday.
Alison Christofferson, who received her first dose of Pfizer vaccine at the medical spa on April 1, said she initially thought Dr. Moma was a doctor.
“After I made the appointment, I looked up the place and found it was a medical spa,” said Christofferson. “But I thought, ‘If they can give Botox injections, they should be able to give an injection.’ ”
She received an email late Friday saying the state health department had paused the administration of the vaccines at the clinic.
“My first thought was, ‘Oh my god, I should have followed my gut and never got vaccinated there,'” Christofferson told The Gazette on Saturday. It seemed weird. But I wanted the vaccine, so I overcame my gut. “
Christofferson was notified of the suspension because she had scheduled a second appointment with the clinic. But Sue Aspenson, who received her second dose on Friday, received the news from a friend who is a contact tracer.
“She contacted me (Friday) evening and told me we would probably see something on the news (about the suspension), but to keep from going crazy,” Aspenson said. “But of course I was shocked.”
Aspenson said she searched the El Paso County Public Health website in an effort to find out what her next move should be. She has seen guidance from health officials for those who have to reschedule vaccine appointments, she said. But “what about people who have already received both shots? I cannot get answers. “
Christofferson, who will receive her second dose in about two weeks, is waiting for advice from health officials before scheduling an appointment with another clinic.
Aspenson hopes health officials will tell her – and others who have received two doses from the wellness clinic – what to do next.
“Once I’ve been given a legitimate dose, I don’t want to put more chemicals in my body,” she said. “But if the dose is not right, I still need the vaccine.”