Reports of Vaccines Being Thrown Away Discouraging for State Residents

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 -- 10:01 AM

(WBAY) As millions wait their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Wisconsin, news of hundreds of doses spoiled due to human error is not an update anyone wanted to hear.

Earlier this week, Aurora Medical Center in Grafton had to throw away 500 Moderna vaccines because someone left them out of the refrigerator overnight.  All vaccination sites are required to have continuous monitoring data logs.

According to the 60-page Department of Health Services ‘COVID-19 Vaccination Plan’ all off-site clinics must have ‘temperature monitors that can alarm if the temperature exceeds vaccine storage limits’. However, that doesn’t account for human error.

“We can put all those processes in place, but sometimes when people are multitasking, you leave things out,” said Laura Alar, Bellin Health’s Director of Pharmacy.

She continued, “It’s like when you have coffee in the morning and put your half and half aside and sometimes you come home at the end of the day and it’s still sitting there; you can’t use it. You know it could be contaminated. So it’s the same situation.”

If vaccines are left un-refrigerated for an extended period, they must be thrown away.

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