While New York is nearing the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, they’ve still got a bit of a ways to go, as hundreds of people were given expired vaccines in Times Square.
The New York City Health Department confirmed that 899 individuals received an expired dose of the Pfizer vaccine at an event in the former NFL Experience building between June 5 and June 10.
A spokesperson for the department urged those individuals to schedule another vaccination appointment as soon as possible.
“We have communicated with Pfizer, which recommended that the patients receive another dose as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “While there is no safety risk for the patients, the re-administration is being carried out to ensure that the individuals are fully protected.”
Other city health department officials said that patients “have received emails, phone calls, and are also being sent letters to make sure they are aware of this situation,” per the Epoch Times. Those who received the expired vaccines were contacted by ATC Vaccination Services.
“We are contacting you concerning the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine you received at Times Square-NFL Experience vaccination site on June 5 to June 10, 2021. It was recognized after the vaccine was administered, that it had been in the freezer beyond the approved time frame prior to it being administered,” ATC’s David Savitsky said in an email to patients.
He added that “there should be no adverse health consequences from the vaccine already received” and that those who got the defective dose can get a “repeated dose” right away in the opposite arm.
ATC also issued an apology following the incident.
“We apologize for the inconvenience to those receiving the vaccine batch in question and want people first and foremost to know that we have been advised that there is no danger from the vaccine they received,” the firm said.
