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308 doses of COVID-19 vaccine wasted in Brevard County, DOH reports

Includes broken vials or doses not administered in time after thawing

Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are shown, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, at the Isles of Vero Beach assisted and independent senior living community in Vero Beach, Fla. A federal government study last fall found that an average of one death occurred among every five assisted living facility residents with COVID-19 in states that offered data. That compares with one death among every 40 people with the virus in the general population. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla.The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County reports 308 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine went to waste in the county.

This number is cumulative from when the vaccination first arrived in the county. It also includes any vials that were broken in transit or during administration.

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The number also includes any vials that were thawed but unable to be used within the recommended timeframe, according to the DOH.

[TRENDING: How to get a vaccine in Fla. | Wanted: Man accused of shooting at detective | Cops: Fla. man decapitated hamster]

“These doses were not wasted by the county health department, but by community partners,” a DOH spokesperson said in a statement. “We continue to work with all partners to ensure no additional doses are wasted.”

This comes as Palm Beach County is currently undergoing an audit from the state after more than 1,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were reported damaged last week. Gov. Ron DeSantis said health officials wanted to inquire after receiving reports of doses that were spoiled because they were improperly stored.

Following the audit’s announcement, News 6 reached out to every DOH office in Central Florida about the number of doses, if any, that have gone to waste. Brevard County was the first to respond.

This story will be updated as more counties respond to News 6′s inquiries.


To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6′s coronavirus newsletter and go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.


About the Author
Thomas Mates headshot

Thomas Mates is a Streaming Executive Producer for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

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