CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Health Officer Dr. Ayne Amjad said Friday there have been reviews at three county health departments in recent weeks in connection with the administration of COVID-19 vaccination doses.
She said the state has been conducting reviews at the Hancock, Mercer and Braxton health departments, mainly focused on mistakenly giving more than the prescribed dosage amounts.
“These happened around the same time frame,” Amjad said Friday during Gov. Jim Justice’s coronavirus media briefing.
Amjad announced the Mercer County review last week but said at the time there were other counties. She released the additional information Friday after a question from WCHS-TV reporter Kennie Bass.
When the state Bureau of Public Health receives notice about a possible vaccine dosage issue it puts vaccinations on hold in that particularly until it can be checked out.
Amjad said the review has been completed in Hancock County and vaccinations were allowed to resume earlier this week. The hold on receiving additional doses remains for the Mercer and Braxton health departments.
“Mercer County got evaluated on Tuesday and they’re still under investigation as far as when the vaccines will be (returned) to the health department,” Amjad said. “Braxton County is still on hold, our team can’t see them until Wednesday.”
Wrong dosage amounts of the Moderna booster shots were given at a clinic in Mercer County on Oct. 28.
Amjad said mistakes with levels of vaccine doses and boosters are happening across the country. She said residents who receive the shots in West Virginia are contacted. She said most patients haven’t suffered any medical issues.
Amjad said health departments aren’t exempt from human error. She said the state has a program in place to catch it.
“It does highlight the fact that we want people across the state to know that we want the vaccinations given correctly,” Amjad said.
Mercer County Health Department administrator Roger Topping resigned earlier this week in connection with the wrong dosage issue.