Several people who went to a clinic in Virginia Kroger to receive the COVID-19 vaccine this week were given, by mistake, empty syringes.
A spokesman for the grocery and pharmacy store told NBC’s Richmond affiliate station WWBT Wednesday that the incident in his locality in the suburban town of Midlothian was an “honest mistake,” adding that “all affected clients were contacted and have now received the COVID-19 “vaccine.
“We apologize for this oversight and the inconvenience caused by these customers,” the spokesman added.
Kroger told the local ABC affiliate WRIC that “less than 10 people” were affected by the mishap at The Little Clinic’s location, and also said previous company statements saying the syringes were full of saline were determined to be incorrect after a more thorough investigation.
Carrie Hawes, one of the people who received an empty shot, told WWBT she received an appointment to get Johnson & Johnson inoculation Monday evening at Kroger’s place.
Hawes, who qualified for the Group 1B vaccine for people 65 and under with underlying medical conditions, told the local newspaper that she received a call the next day to report the error.
“My initial reaction was shock and surprise, and a bit of anxiety,” he said, adding that he was able to return to the store within hours of the call to properly receive the vaccine.
A Kroger spokesman told WRIC that the company has been in contact with the Virginia Department of Health to address the problem and that clinic workers have been recycled to properly administer the vaccines.
In Kroger’s statement to WWBT, the company said it has so far administered more than 836,000 coronavirus vaccines at its locations across the country.
“Kroger encourages everyone to receive any vaccine that is available the first time they become eligible,” the statement added.
The hill has contacted Kroger for additional information.