BOSTON (CBS): Nearly 2,000 doses of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine were compromised at VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain after the freezer failed.
Earlier this week, a contractor accidentally disconnected the freezer while cleaning after a pipe exploded and flooded the room where the vaccines were stored. As a result, 1,900 doses of the vaccine were committed.
“For the Modern vaccine it is 12 hours. Once it has been at room temperature for longer, it can no longer be assured that it is effective and therefore the vaccine cannot be administered, “Dr. Paul Biddinger, medical director of emergency preparedness, told WBZ-TV. of the general mass Brigham.
Representative Stephen Lynch examines VA Medical Center freezer in Jamaica Plain after COVID vaccines were compromised (image credit Office of Congressman Stephen F. Lynch)
Kyle Toto, a spokesman for the VA Boston Healthcare System, told WBZ that the vaccines have not been ruled out.
Toto said the freezer was in a safe place and he had an alarm system installed. An investigation is underway to determine why the surveillance and alarm system did not work.
“Replacement doses are in process and we do not anticipate the interruption of our vaccination effort,” Toto said.
Dr. Biddinger said proper storage is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the key element of the vaccine and its overall success against the virus.
Representative Lynch and Associate Chief Pharmacist Antoun Houranieh examine vaccine freezers at Jamaica Plain VA Medical Center (Congressman Stephen F. Lynch’s office)
“The problem is that the messenger RNA, the mRNA, is really fragile. People have kind of done the analogy of a M&M that melts very, very quickly.”
Massachusetts Representative Stephen Lynch said doses have been moved to Brockton and West Roxbury while the cleanup operation continues.
“They lowered the temperature at which they are allowed to store, so unfortunately they got lost,” Congressman Stephen Lynch said. He says he is confident it has been accidental, but called the inspector general to make sure.
“A 6-inch refrigeration pipe exploded and flooded the area of the pharmacy where the vaccines have been kept. During the clean-up operation, part of the contracting staff carrying out the reduction accidentally removed the freezer,” he said. Lynch.
“At least they had enough,” said veteran Bob Kenney, who was still able to get his shot fired Friday. “I hope they can replace him so no one has to go through with it.”
“We don’t need any mistakes,” veteran Paul Hapenny said. “They’re doses of 1900 that won’t go into people’s arms.”
Wheel freezers were introduced specifically to store COVID vaccines. The director of VA Boston, Dr. Vincent Ng said he didn’t have a corbel on the plug at the time, but has now been replaced with one. He also said the freezer alarm should have gone off when the temperature dropped, but it didn’t happen.
“We are studying why it failed, but what we do know is that we have reactivated the alarm,” Ng said. “We’ve tried it several times and it works, so it’s fixed.”