A pharmacist in Wisconsin was arrested on Thursday after police said he intentionally blew over 500 doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
Authorities say the incident occurred at a hospital in Grafton, just outside Milwaukee. The pharmacist, who has not been publicly identified, has been arrested on recommended charges of recklessly jeopardizing security, criminal property damage and tampering with a prescription drug, The Washington Post reports.
The vaccine is slowly being implemented across the country, first for health professionals and residents of long-term care facilities. Authorities say the pharmacist, who worked for Aurora Health Care, wrote that he removed 57 vials from the refrigerator “knowing that if not stored correctly, the vaccine would be ineffective”. This will delay the vaccination of hundreds of people in Wisconsin, who reported 3,810 new cases of coronavirus and 42 deaths on Thursday.
The authorities estimate that the value of the doses could reach $ 11,000. The vials can be stored at room temperature for 12 hours, but after thawing they cannot be refrozen. Aurora Health said that when the bottles were discovered outside the refrigerator last Saturday, dozens of doses were administered quickly, but the company learned on Thursday that they were removed from the refrigerator twice and it is unclear whether the doses offer full protection.
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