The first batches of the “Corona” vaccine hid an “unexpected surprise”

With boxes of Pfizer vaccines beginning to arrive in the United States this week, hospital pharmacists discovered something surprising, and that is that some glass bottles that are supposed to contain five doses contain enough for a sixth person, or even a seventh, according to the New York newspaper. Times “.

The news sparked a wave of excitement on Twitter and on pharmaceutical message boards this week as hospital staff considered the puzzling possibility that the limited supply of the pending vaccine could be extended to reach more people.

But this happy surprise, instead, sparked a wave of confusion and debate about the use or elimination of excessive doses.

And at Northwell Health in New York, for example, an executive estimated that the hospital network may have delivered enough extra vaccine to count 15 to 20 doses while waiting for guidance from the state health department.

On Wednesday, pharmacists received an answer to their queries in a statement, to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which said that “due to the public health emergency,” it is acceptable to use each remaining full dose. in each vial.

He said he was consulting with Pfizer to determine the “best way forward” and advised health officials not to group the doses from multiple vials.

“We never want to waste a vaccine, so it would be exciting if this were an opportunity to vaccinate more numbers,” said American Society of Health System Pharmacists first director of clinical guidelines and quality improvement, Anna Legrid Dup. .

The vaccine, developed by the German company Weiz and Bayontek, is extremely rare.

Pfizer said it has created enough vaccine to supply at least 25 million doses to the United States before the end of the year, enough for 12.5 million people because it requires two injections, which are given to one person in two separate periods.

But federal officials carefully allocated this amount, dispensing just 2.9 million doses, after obtaining permission from the Food and Drug Administration for its emergency use last Friday.

Because the vaccine is in short supply, it is offered first to front-line health care workers, residents and nursing home workers, and experts have said the vaccine won’t be available to all Americans until next year.

Pfizer said in a statement that the company is consulting with the Food and Drug Administration about the additional vaccine in some vials, and “no recommendation can be made regarding the use of the remaining amount of vaccine in each vial.”

He advised employees who administer vaccines to check with local institutions.