MIAMI (AP) — Florida health officials are calling for an audit after more than 1,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were reported damaged last week in Palm Beach County.
The Florida Department of Health is asking the Palm Beach County Health Care District to conduct a full accounting of all vaccine-related equipment and procedures to store and handle the vaccine.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees said he wants the health care district to address the problem to make sure doses are not wasted.
“It is a tragedy that even one dose of this critical resource would go to waste,” Rivkees said in a statement. “While we must rely on partners to distribute this critical resource, we expect that every provider treat the vaccine as the precious commodity that it is.”
The audit must be completed by Feb. 12, and findings and actions must be reported to the health department.