Louisiana throws away 224,000 doses of COVID vaccine, expiring due to people refusing to take them | Coronavirus vaccine

Louisiana’s problem with wasted COVID-19 vaccine injections continues to swell, with an estimated 224,000 doses thrown out across the state as healthcare providers can’t find enough residents willing to roll up their sleeves.

The number of doses destroyed has nearly tripled since the end of July, even as Louisiana grappled with a deadly fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic during this period that has led to increased interest in vaccines.

The latest data provided to The Associated Press by the Louisiana Department of Health showed that 223,918 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna two-dose vaccines and the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine were discarded.

This is relatively small compared to the 4.4 million doses of vaccine administered in the state. But while waste is not uncommon in mass vaccination efforts, the rejection of doses in the United States comes as millions of people around the world still await the opportunity to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 disease. caused by the coronavirus.

Most of the wasted vaccine doses in Louisiana occurred because vials containing the injections were opened, but hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and other providers could not find someone to take the doses. Health Department spokesman Kevin Litten said.

Over 21,500 shots simply weren’t used before their expiration date.

Nearly 50,000 more doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are expected to expire within the next month, but Litten said the state plans to distribute those vaccines before that.

Louisiana has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, according to data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which shows only five states have lower vaccination rates. More than 2.1 million people in Louisiana – about 46% of the population – are fully vaccinated, according to the health department.