CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Bureau of Public Health has put a hold on COVID-19 vaccinations at the Mercer County Health Department after discovering a mistake in the administration of some shots.
State Health Officer Dr. Ayne Amjad said Friday quality control efforts by the BOH found out full doses of Moderna booster were being administered instead of the recommended half doses.
“We want to insure that quality is given and the right doses are given. It’s a temporary hold in this case,” Amjad said during Friday’s coronavirus media briefing.
Amjad said a state team would go to the health department next week and demonstrate how the booster is given in the right doses.
“It’s a temporary issue,” Amjad said. “This can happen at any time. It’s not a punitive error.”
Gov. Jim Justice later said those who received the full doses should be okay.
Amjad said the quality control efforts have discovered missteps at other health departments during the pandemic. The Boone County Health Department was closed for a while in late December after more than 40 people were mistakenly given an antibody shot rather than the COVID-19 vaccine.
Amjad said part of the Bureau of Public Health’s job is to make sure right procedures are followed.
“If you’re not going to give them correctly then we are going to have to put a hold on them,” Amjad said.
Both Amjad and state InterAgency Task Force Director Jim Hoyer said it’s important for Mercer Count residents to know there are other places to be vaccinated in Mercer County including for children ages 5-11 with the Pfizer vaccine.
Hoyer said those locations include including Four Seasons Pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy and Kroger Pharmacy along with the Bluestone Community Health Center.
Amjad didn’t say along the hold for the Mercer County Health Department would last.