Procedures being reviewed after hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine doses ruined

CDC has very specific guidelines about temperature at which vaccine needs to be kept

CDC has very specific guidelines about temperature at which vaccine needs to be kept

IT WAS A SHOCKING AND COSTLY MISTAK 50 VIALS, CONTAINING NEARLY 500 DOSES OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE RUINED, WASTED, AT THIS AURORA MEDICAL CENTER IN GRAFTON, ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE MORNING AFTER. HOSPITAL OFFICIALS CALLED IT HUMAN ERROR, SAYING THE VIALS "WERE NOT REPLACED IN THE REFRIGERATOR AFTER TEMPORARI BEING REMOVED TO ACCESS OTHER ITEMS." WE ASKED MILWAUKEE COUNTY’S MEDICAL DIRECTOR WHETHER THAT INCIDENT MIGHT REVEAL A BIGGER PROBLE ARE YOU CONFIDENT IN THE SYSTEM OF HANDLING AND STORING THE VACCINE? >> HUMAN ERRORS OCCUR, SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, IT’S VERY UNFORTUNATE. BUT WE UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAPPENS. WE LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER IN THE FUTURE. THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES HAS TRIED TO GUARD AGAINST MISTAKES IN HANDLING THE VACCINE. A SPOKESMAN TELLS 12 NEWS THAT UNDER STATE GUIDELINES, VACCINATORS MUST ATTEST TH APPROPRIATE STAFF HAVE BEEN TRAINED PRIOR TO RECEIVING VACCINE. AURORA OFFICIALS AREN’T SAYING WHO MISTAKENLY LEFT THE VIALS OUT TO SPOIL, BUT SAY THEY ARE TAKING STEPS TO TRY TO ENSURE IT DOESN’T HAPPEN AGAIN. IN A STATEMENT TO 12 NEWS, A AURORA SPOKESMAN SAID, "THIS WAS THE RESULT OF UNINTENDED HUMAN ERROR, AND WE HAVE USED IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND REMIND TEAM MEMBERS ABOUT OUR PROCESS -- PROCESS." SHOULD ALL HOSPITALS BE REVIEWING THEIR OWN PROCEDURES FOR THE VACCINE AFTER SEEING HOW A MISTAKE LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN?, -- HAPPEN? >> ABSOLUTELY. ALL HOSPITALS SHOULD BE REVIEWING THEIR POLICIES AND PRACTICES. AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND ANYBODY ELSE RECEIVING THE VACCIN TOYA: THERE FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR HOW LONG THE VACCINE CAN BE OUT OF REFRIGERATION. >> YES. THE HOSPITAL SAID IT WAS OUTSIDE A 12-HOUR WINDOW. BUT THE CDC HAS VERY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE VACCINE NEEDS TO BE KEPT. THEY SAY THE TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE CHECKED BY HOSPITAL OFFICIALS EVERY DAY BEFORE USE. IT’S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THAT’S HOW THIS MISTAKE

Procedures being reviewed after hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine doses ruined

CDC has very specific guidelines about temperature at which vaccine needs to be kept

Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin is reviewing its procedures after hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine doses had to be thrown out after what hospital officials called "human error." It happened over the weekend at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton. Dozens of vials of the Moderna vaccine, meant to be refrigerated, were mistakenly left out to spoil.State officials said it is an isolated case, but now Aurora is taking steps to try to prevent it from happening again. Fifty vials containing nearly 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were ruined and wasted on Christmas night. It was discovered the morning after.Hospital officials called it "human error," saying, "The vials were not replaced in the refrigerator after temporarily being removed to access other items."Sister station WISN asked Milwaukee County Medical Services Director Ben Weston whether that incident might reveal a bigger problem."Human errors occur, so something like this happens. It's very unfortunate. But we understand why it happens, and we look at how we can make it better in the future," Weston said. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has tried to guard against mistakes in handling the vaccine. A spokesman told WISN that under state guidelines, "Vaccinators must attest that appropriate staff have been trained prior to receiving vaccine."Aurora officials aren't saying who mistakenly left the vials out to spoil, but said it is taking steps to try to ensure it doesn't happen again.In a statement to WISN, an Aurora spokesman said, "This was the result of unintended human error, and we have used it as an opportunity to review and remind team members about our process." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has very specific guidelines about the temperature at which the vaccine needs to be kept.Hospital officials have to check that temperature every day before using it. It's not clear whether that's how it was discovered that the vaccine had been left out too long. The Moderna vaccine can be out of refrigeration for 12 hours.

Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin is reviewing its procedures after hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine doses had to be thrown out after what hospital officials called "human error."

It happened over the weekend at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.

Dozens of vials of the Moderna vaccine, meant to be refrigerated, were mistakenly left out to spoil.

State officials said it is an isolated case, but now Aurora is taking steps to try to prevent it from happening again.

Fifty vials containing nearly 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were ruined and wasted on Christmas night. It was discovered the morning after.

Hospital officials called it "human error," saying, "The vials were not replaced in the refrigerator after temporarily being removed to access other items."

Sister station WISN asked Milwaukee County Medical Services Director Ben Weston whether that incident might reveal a bigger problem.

"Human errors occur, so something like this happens. It's very unfortunate. But we understand why it happens, and we look at how we can make it better in the future," Weston said.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has tried to guard against mistakes in handling the vaccine. A spokesman told WISN that under state guidelines, "Vaccinators must attest that appropriate staff have been trained prior to receiving vaccine."

Aurora officials aren't saying who mistakenly left the vials out to spoil, but said it is taking steps to try to ensure it doesn't happen again.

In a statement to WISN, an Aurora spokesman said, "This was the result of unintended human error, and we have used it as an opportunity to review and remind team members about our process."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has very specific guidelines about the temperature at which the vaccine needs to be kept.

Hospital officials have to check that temperature every day before using it. It's not clear whether that's how it was discovered that the vaccine had been left out too long.

The Moderna vaccine can be out of refrigeration for 12 hours.

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