Dozens of Covid vaccines due to be given to elderly people in Letterkenny had to be destroyed after they became “unfit for purpose.”
Up to ten vials delivered to Cleary House at Knocknamona could not be used because of a technical issue.
The Tirconail Tribune today reports that family members of people due for vaccination claim that the vaccine was incorrectly stored in a fridge at the centre.
The families involved said they understand that up to 100 vaccines were destroyed in the incident which happened on March 24th.
The HSE confirmed that some vaccines had to be disposed of after an “incident.”
A spokesperson said “We regret that this incident has taken place. An incident report has been completed and all necessary processes will be followed to ensure there is no reoccurrence.”
A number of former residents of St. Conal’s Hospital now in residence at various locations in Donegal and others in ‘independent living’ circumstances were scheduled to be vaccinated at Cleary House, depending on supplies coming onstream.
Cleary House is Mental Health Residential Unit (SRU).
It is understood that Cleary Centre was due to be used as a vaccine hub for three other SRU’s in Donegal Town, Carndonagh and Dungloe.
It was also catering for other psychiatric patients living ‘independently’ in the Conal’s psychiatric hospital who were scheduled for their Covid vaccines at the facility.
The HSE press office confirmed to the Tribune that an issue surrounding a fridge was the reason why the vaccines had to be destroyed.
A spokesperson confirmed “HSE Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1 wish to confirm that there was a non-clinical incident at Cleary House, facility for Mental Health Service Users in Letterkenny, Donegal on Wednesday 24th of March involving 10 vials of vaccine.
“This was due to a technical issue with a fridge at the facility, and unfortunately these vials could not be used.
“We regret that this incident has taken place. It is important to note that all service users scheduled for the clinic (33 in total) still received their vaccine at the clinic and that this incident did not impact on them.
“Residents from other Mental Health Supervised Residential units in Donegal Town, Carndonagh and Dungloe have received their vaccination in line with the scheduled vaccination programme.”
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