Our Texas State Department of Health Services data analysis revealed that 350 of these missed doses are in Harris County.
At the county level, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo previously said that 20 doses were missed “because two bottles fell and broke because a gust of wind passed and five (doses), there was simply no one to give it to.”
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The hundreds of missed doses are only a small percentage of the total 3,160,000 doses of vaccine Texas has received so far, but with thousands of residents on waiting lists for a vaccine, doctors say the “precious commodity” is not must be missed.
INTERACTIVE: 13 Investigate maps of all suppliers that have reported vaccine residues to the state. The larger dots indicate more waste based on the amount of vaccines that each provider sent. Explore the map below for details on why the vaccines were wasted. On the mobile device? Click here for a full screen experience.
Within 45 minutes of receiving her first doses of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine in December, Dr. David Ellent, a doctor at the Genesis Medical Group, said the doctors worked until Christmas to administer it to qualified personnel for the first stage of the state’s immunization plan.
“Each dose, which does not go to a health professional, goes to patients or goes to a member of the community to ensure that no doses are missed,” he said. “This is a very precious commodity.”
The rules of the state vaccination plan are clear and mention waste 11 times. Whenever a dose is missed, providers are required to notify the state within 24 hours.
Each Modern vaccine contains 10, or sometimes 11, doses and all must be used within six hours of opening the bottle, according to health guidelines.
The Pfizer vaccine must be stored at a certain temperature and after thawing it must be used and cannot be frozen again, according to the company.
Across the state, 40% of vaccine waste was due to the product being spoiled and 20% was due to storage of the vaccine at a very hot temperature, according to the data.
On a mobile device? Click here.
According to state data, 7.7% of the reported 1,751 missed vaccine doses were at the Hermann Memorial The Woodlands Medical Center.
“During the Christmas holiday, the team thawed enough doses to administer to those who were supposed to come and receive the vaccination; unfortunately, many people canceled, which meant that 135 doses were not administered that week,” the hospital said in a statement to 13 Investigate. “Of course, we deeply regret that any money received has not been administered. We provide more education on the various processes in place to ensure that this does not happen again. Overall, Memorial Hermann administered more than 77,000 vaccinations and we are committed to ensuring that all the vaccines we receive are administered safely. “
A Mi Doctor Clinics location on Broadway Street in Houston reported the largest number of doses wasted with 230 doses of vaccine that had to be discarded because they were not stored at a sufficiently cold temperature, according to Texas DSHS data.
“On January 2, the Mi Doctor- # 23 Clinics on Broadway experienced an equipment failure, resulting in a temperature excursion for 230 doses of the Modern Covid-19 vaccine. The problem was detected on returning to work on Monday , January 4. The fabrication was, “the spokesman said in a statement to 13 Investiga.
We also examined which suppliers reported the most waste based on how many overhead doses were received. Our analysis found that Austin’s orthopedic specialists have the highest percentage of residues, with 63 of the 100 doses received reported as being wasted due to insufficient refrigeration, according to Texas DSHS data.
13 Investigates contacted Austin orthopedics specialists after we received the state of Texas DSHS late Friday afternoon, but the office was closed.
Lack of access
Harris Health System CEO Dr. Esmaeil Porsa told 13 Investigates that the lack of access to the vaccine is affecting people disproportionately affected by COVID-19,
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The health care system, which serves as a safety net for the vulnerable and uninsured in the county, said it had to cancel hundreds of vaccine consultations last week at seven locations across the county due to a lack of supplies.
Porsa said Harris Health has a system to ensure that each dose is used as soon as they receive it, but the supply is simply not there.
Speaking of the health system’s efforts to prevent waste, Porsa recalled a recent day spent administering vaccines. After the end of that long day, he said they realized they had about eight to 10 extra doses that needed to be used before they were considered bad.
“The team really stayed behind for a few hours, finding other patients that we could administer the vaccine to,” said Porsa. “I am very proud of the way we administer vaccines, the minimum waste.”
Ellent, an oncologist, said the vaccine offers more than just protection against the virus for his cancer patients, who are already isolated while undergoing chemotherapy.
“Cancer is difficult enough. You put COVID on top of it and it is devastating,” he said. “I am giving them hope and giving them the world because they cannot even leave the house before. They are afraid. Patients talk on the screen with their families. It had become a prison …. The vaccine, in fact, gives hope to patients to break free from this chain. “
13 Investigates heard from residents across the county who said they called several providers trying to make an appointment. At the Genesis Medical Group, 6,700 people were on the waiting list to receive the vaccine last week.
“If you give me 6,700 vaccines, believe me, we can use them in a week, but I need to get the vaccines,” said Ellent.
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