US States waste an average of 4.8% doses of available COVID-19 vaccines: Report

The US states squandered an average of 4.8% of their available vaccine doses of COVID-19, the California Department of Public Health reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The San Franciso Chronicle reported that the primary cause for dumping the COVID-19 vaccines was that the medicine expired, was opened and could go bad before it can be used, or has been overused and destroyed. In April, providers dumped 13,829 doses or 0.13% of the available COVID Vaccines. However, each month since, the wasted proportion of vaccine doses has crept upward, to 1.11% in October, bringing the seven-month total to 611,328 doses.

Health providers have discarded approximately 645,000 doses of life-saving COVID-19 vaccines in California since they were accessible in December, an average of 58,614 per month, according to the California Department of Public Health. The startling figure, however, represents only 1% of the total 58 million doses made available in California between 15 December 2020 and 22 October 2021, according to the report. NBC News reported this month that the government agency said vaccination suppliers threw out more than 15 million doses between March and August.

More than a quarter of Californians are still unvaccinated

Waste is likely to have increased as supplies switched from mass vaccination sites, where demand was consistent and predictable, to smaller walk-in outlets like local pharmacies, according to Chad Hatfield, chief pharmacy officer for UC Davis Health reported The San Francisco Chronicle. Government data screens, which are typically brimming with COVID metrics like vaccination coverage, case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths, have no information concerning wasted doses, according to news agency.

Despite the fact that vaccines have been accessible for nearly a year, the CDC estimates that more than a quarter of Californians are still unvaccinated. California's public health department, which then transmits the data to the CDC, requires all vaccine providers in the state to record wasted doses. Vaccine providers must also dispose of unused vaccines like they would any other medical waste, according to the law.

On Monday, 1 November, the Biden administration said that a new rule mandating private-sector firms with 100 or more employees to enforce COVID-19 immunizations or frequent testing would be released in the coming days. The Labor Department announced that the White House Office of Management and Budget had concluded its regulatory assessment of the emergency interim standard rule (ETS). The White House had announced in September that the regulation will apply to more than 80 million private sector workers. It is unknown when the administration will announce compliance with the new standards. Many industries have requested that the mandates be postponed until after the holiday season.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: PTI/Representative Image