PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health announced Wednesday that it has called for an audit into the Palm Beach County Health Care District after it reported damage to more than 1,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine last week.
“It is a tragedy that even one dose of this critical resource would go to waste and not be used to save a life from COVID-19,” Florida State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees said in a statement. “In Florida, we have been diligent to preserve and utilize every single dose of the vaccine. 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. We hope to see this situation rectified and addressed immediately to ensure the Palm Beach County Health Care District does not let one more dose go to waste.”
Recommended Videos
State health officials said all providers participating in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program must follow certain regulations outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit to ensure that the vaccines are stored and handled under proper conditions.
The health department has asked health officials in Palm Beach County to perform a full accounting of all vaccine-related equipment and procedures it currently has in place to store and handle the vaccine.
The FDOH has requested that the audit be completed by Friday, Feb. 12. and that “all findings and corrective actions be reported to the Florida Department of Health immediately upon the conclusion of the audit.”