I'm Sure We'll Be Seeing This Become Common In The Coming Weeks

[dales]

California Disney employee brags about getting COVID-19 vaccine early, hospital says leftover doses were given to non-frontline health care workers
Kate Feldman
,
New York Daily News
Dec. 27, 2020
Updated: Dec. 27, 2020 1:25 p.m.

David Goldman/Associated Press
A 33-year-old California woman who works at Disney allegedly jumped the line for the first round of her COVID-19 vaccine through a connection at a local hospital.

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, bragged on Facebook about getting the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the general public, the Orange County Register reported Saturday, when primarily just frontline health care workers and people in long-term care facilities are supposed to be receiving the shot.

“When I woke up this morning, I didn’t think I would be getting the COVID-19 vaccine today. But here we are. I’m so very happy,” the Riverside woman wrote last weekend. “Science is basically my religion, so this was a big deal for me.”

The woman told a Facebook friend that she skipped the waiting period because her husband’s aunt is a “big deal” at Redlands Community Hospital, where they had begun vaccinating employees.

Hospital officials told the Register that they had allotted their vaccines to “frontline physicians, health care workers and support staff per California Department of Public Health guidelines.”

“After physicians and staff who expressed interest in the vaccine were administered, there were several doses left. Because the reconstituted Pfizer vaccine must be used within hours or be disposed of, several doses were administered,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

As Pfizer began shipping out its vaccine earlier this month, pharmacists discovered that some of the vials contained more than the five doses they were supposed to hold. The Food and Drug Administration said in mid-December that the extra doses could be used, possibly expanding the supply by up to 40%.

But because the vaccine has to be administered almost immediately after thawing from its -94 degrees Fahrenheit, doctors administering the doses are typically not able to just save the excess for later.

[BoSoxGal]

As I recall there is a six hour window from thaw to spoil with that super frozen Pfizer vaccine; they should certainly be managing things so that every dose goes to a priority recipient, but if that somehow gets screwed up I’d rather they call whoever is available and willing than to waste a single dose. We need all the fucking people who are willing to get vaccinated to get that way as fast as possible.

[Bicycle Bill]

I'd much rather see it get used, even for someone like a Disney employee, than see it get discarded.  But surely there must have been some non-frontline employees at the hospital that could have been given the inoculation rather than someone with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears who supposedly knew someone else who was in a position to perhaps pull some strings.

And regardless, even if she had just happened to be there and the hospital said, "We've got a couple extra jabs here; who wants one?" and she had gotten it that way, said Disney employee should have kept her yap shut about it.  I know I would.

[BoSoxGal]

At 50 years of age and after a long time working in both private industry and the public sector, the only thing I know for sure is that things will get fucked up because people will do fucked up things even when well intentioned.

I’m much less angry about this than about politicians who aren’t even elderly jumping the queue; some on each side have done so and that makes me mad. Only those in line of the Oval Office have any right to jump the priorities framework.

[Econoline]

OTOH, it's certainly good to have the people who get vaccinated proud of that fact and bragging about it, in order for vaccination to become desirable and sought-after—rather than maligned and suspect.

[Econoline]

And regardless, even if she had just happened to be there and the hospital said, "We've got a couple extra jabs here; who wants one?" and she had gotten it that way, said Disney employee should have kept her yap shut about it.  I know I would.

OTOH, it's certainly good to have the people who get vaccinated proud of that fact and bragging about it, in order for vaccination to become desirable and sought-after—rather than maligned and suspect.

[Gob]

Agreed, like sperm, every one is sacred...

[Crackpot]

So she will have to get the follow up as well. I don’t blame the person who got the shot but there does seem to be some serious mismanagement going on. (Possibly to the point of being intentional). Either there are way too many anti vaxxers working at hospitals or thier priorities are absolutely fucked

My wife sort of jumped the queue as well due to the fact that the heath system she works for decided to distribute the vaccine equally across all campuses despite the downtown campus being multiple times bigger than any of the others. Since my wife works at many campuses (although headquartered downtown) she ended up getting called in at one of the smaller campuses to get her shot in the first round.

Now my wife does work with Covid patients daily but in a manner slightly less than “front line”. Given the scarcity of the vaccine at this time having any doses go out of network at this time speaks to massive mismanagement or rampant nepotism.

[ex-khobar Andy]

I'm perfectly happy to wait my turn; and I assume that my place in line will be determined by risk factors such as age, prior medical history, race, job and also my willingness - or not - to become immunized.

Kentucky has a coronavirus web site with a 'contact us' place for questions.

On December 19th I sent them this question:

How will I know that it’s my turn to be vaccinated?

I’m sure that Kentucky has records of my name, address etc. Relevant pieces of information for determining my place in line are probably my age, my race, my occupation, my medical history, and my willingness to be vaccinated.

Is there some form I complete or do I wait for a knock on the door from a guy with a syringe?

I have read some of the info on the KY site and i do not see this question addressed.

The answer I got was:

Thank you for contacting the Kentucky COVID-19 hotline. I am a Citizen Assistance Specialist with the Office of the Ombudsman and have been asked to assist you.

Please note, information related to the vaccine and Kentucky’s roll-out can be found at https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine . This information is updated daily Monday – Friday so you may want to continue to monitor.

I hope this has been helpful.



XXXXX XXXXXXX
Citizen Assistance Specialist
Office of the Ombudsman and Administrative Review
275 E. Main St.
Frankfort, KY 40621

I have removed his name. I didn't reply: had I done so it would have been along the lines of Dear Mr. XXXXXXXX - Thank you for your reply. There is no information on the website which answers this question; or if there is I cannot find it. There is a 50 page document about the priority - health workers, people in nursing homes, prisons etc.- which I completely agree with; but there is no information in that document about how people are notified when it is their turn. Indeed there is nowhere which tells me how you accumulate that information - race, age, job, medical history etc - in order to make a decision.

Now that they are back at work I will reply. I'll let you know what I find out. As far as I can make out I am in Phase 3 - Vulnerable general population(age 60+, co-morbid conditions) - but does someone blow a whistle and say OK all you elderly chaps with prior form, amble down to your nearest CVS/Walgreens and tell them the Governor sent you?

[Big RR]

From the Pfizer instructions for the vaccine storage and handling:

- The Pfizer thermal shippers, in which doses will arrive, that can be used as temporary storage units by refilling with dry ice every five days for up to 30 days of storage.
- Refrigeration units that are commonly available in hospitals. The vaccine can be stored for five days at refrigerated 2-8°C conditions (well withing the range of even household refrigerators). (blod text added by me)

After storage for up to 30 days in the Pfizer thermal shipper, vaccination centers can transfer the vials to 2-8°C storage conditions for an additional five days, for a total of up to 35 days. Once thawed and stored under 2-8°C conditions, the vials cannot be re-frozen or stored under frozen conditions.

Certainly any medical facility can plan for using thawed vaccine within 5 days.

[Sue U]

No operation this size is going to go off with perfect efficiency, and as I think everyone else has already said, if there is any oversupply of vaccine I'd rather see it go to people who want it and can get to the site promptly to receive it. As long as it's not slowing distribution or being hustled on the black market. A few people get it early? I don't care. Like BSG, to me it's not even remotely as irksome as the politicians who denigrated masks and shut-downs, and who assisted in Trump's downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic, now jumping in to get vaccinated first.

[Bicycle Bill]

No operation this size is going to go off with perfect efficiency, and as I think everyone else has already said, if there is any oversupply of vaccine I'd rather see it go to people who want it and can get to the site promptly to receive it. As long as it's not slowing distribution or being hustled on the black market. A few people get it early? I don't care. Like BSG, to me it's not even remotely as irksome as the politicians who denigrated masks and shut-downs, and who assisted in Trump's downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic, now jumping in to get vaccinated first.

Well, it's never been a secret that 'Rank Hath Its Privileges', and I guess the more rank you are the more privileges you feel that you are entitled to.

But please, Republicans ... spare us the pious, sanctimonious bullshit that "you are taking the vaccine to reassure the public that it is safe and will be effective."   You're getting it because just like the rest of us, you are scared spitless that you could still catch this thing and croak — just like 335K of your constituents have already.

-"BB"-

[Joe Guy]

Does that move her to the front of the line for the second shot?

If so, I hope she gets the measles.

[Crackpot]

It would have to. (If they are operating on any sane basis

[BoSoxGal]

Once a person has the first dose, they MUST have the second for full efficacy. I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t get it unless they had a very serious reaction and decided not to risk another. There wouldn’t be any getting on a list for a chance of the second dose, it’s part and parcel like when you get vaccinated for shingles.

[Joe Guy]

My muddled attempt at making a point was that if someone gets the first shot just because it is "leftover", it shouldn't entitle them to a guaranteed second shot, in my opinion.

[BoSoxGal]

My muddled attempt at making a point was that if someone gets the first shot just because it is "leftover", it shouldn't entitle them to a guaranteed second shot, in my opinion.

That would be medical malpractice, what a ridiculous suggestion. That is simply not how vaccinations work. A two shot vaccination requires both doses and being administered the first most certainly entitles the patient to the second.

[Joe Guy]

That would be medical malpractice, what a ridiculous suggestion. That is simply not how vaccinations work. A two shot vaccination requires both doses and being administered the first most certainly entitles the patient to the second.

I don't see how it would amount to malpractice. A person who is not currently qualified to receive the vaccination should be told there is a leftover 1st shot and there's no guarantee of a leftover second shot. Let them take it or leave it. If she doesn't get a follow-up leftover within a month, it's not going to hurt her.

[Bicycle Bill]

That would be medical malpractice, what a ridiculous suggestion. That is simply not how vaccinations work. A two shot vaccination requires both doses and being administered the first most certainly entitles the patient to the second.

I don't see how it would amount to malpractice. A person who is not currently qualified to receive the vaccination should be told there is a leftover 1st shot and there's no guarantee of a leftover second shot. Let them take it or leave it. If she doesn't get a follow-up leftover within a month, it's not going to hurt her.

Gotta agree with BSG on this ... would you tell someone at a car accident that, "Yeah, we can suture your wounds or set and cast your broken leg, but there's no guarantee that we're ever going to be able to get around to removing the stitches or taking off the cast"?

If the regimen calls for a second administration at a specific time after the first, then the person should get it.  Otherwise it's no better than throwing away and wasting the first dose.

-"BB"-

[Joe Guy]

Gotta agree with BSG on this ... would you tell someone at a car accident that, "Yeah, we can suture your wounds or set and cast your broken leg, but there's no guarantee that we're ever going to be able to get around to removing the stitches or taking off the cast"?

That's not a good analogy. A person injured in a car accident needs immediate attention.

If the regimen calls for a second administration at a specific time after the first, then the person should get it.  Otherwise it's no better than throwing away and wasting the first dose.

The first dosage of the vaccination gives a person some protection but not maximum protection. That's why the choice for whether or not someone gets a leftover vaccination should go to someone who is made aware there are no guarantees of a second shot. If that person doesn't get the second one on schedule, they'll have to wait until the time when they are entitled to both shots and start the process over.