Some people in Saugeen First Nation are going to have Covid vaccine doses readministered after expired Pfizer shots were recently given in error, according to a letter from Indigenous Services Canada dated Sept. 23.
The Indigenous Services Canada letter posted on the Saugeen First Nation website says Pfizer doses administered between Aug. 13 and Sept. 9 were beyond their best before date of Aug. 9. A release from Saugeen First Nation says staff involved in its Covid-19 response were first made aware of the fact there was a potential error on Sept. 15.
Indigenous Services Canada says in its letter on the matter an internal review was launched immediately upon learning of the error to determine what led to the situation, and it reached out to personnel from Saugeen First Nation, Public Health Ontario and the Grey Bruce Health Unit.
Saugeen First Nation staff, including Covid-19 response staff, were not responsible for the handling of vaccines, a release from the band explains.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit staff were not involved in the handling or administration of vaccines related to this incident. Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra confirms it was an error made by Indigenous Services Canada.
Arra says the Grey Bruce Health Unit supported the community health team in verifying the error, evaluating and remedying the situation.
The vaccine shipment was sent to Saugeen First Nation on July 13 and the expiration date on the vials stated October 2021.
A release from the band office explains Indigenous Services Canada stored the Pfizer vaccines in a cooled but not frozen state at the Saugeen First Nation Community Health Centre, rendering the original expiry date of October 2021 incorrect. Pfizer vaccines kept in this cooled state are only good for 31 days, the release explains, meaning the vaccines were actually set to expire on Aug. 9.
“While the expiration date of August 9 was on the box that contained the vials, the expiration date on the vials themselves were not changed to reflect this as it wasn’t in ISC protocol,” a release from Saugeen First Nation explains. “While administering the doses the ISC nurses checked the expiry date on the vial and not on the box — this is how the error managed to occur.”
The federal government department says after consultation with health and community partners it attempted to contact affected individuals on Sept. 22 to inform them about the vaccine error.
Pfizer was contacted during this consultation process, and Saugeen First Nation says in a statement its Covid-19 response staff were notified “there is no harm in receiving an expired vaccine, however these individuals will need to be revaccinated.”
There’s no indication how many people were given the expired doses during the nearly month-long period the expired Pfizer shots were being offered at Saugeen First Nation.
The letter from Indigenous Services Canada says it has taken steps to refine and reinforce its operational processes and guidelines to ensure this situation remains an isolated incident. It says this includes revising protocols to include double verification of best before dates on vaccines, and improving training and education for ISC nurses about the unique needs of Covid vaccine.
“The department sincerely apologizes for this vaccine error and the concern that it may cause for the members of Saugeen First Nation,” the Sept. 23 letter from Indigenous Services Canada says. “ISC is committed to addressing this error and putting measures in place to prevent it from happening again.”
The period when the ISC was erroneously administering expired vaccine was just after Saugeen First Nation overcame a Covid outbreak in the community.
Saugeen First Nation Chief Lester Anoquot declared a state of emergency on June 30, closed band services and ordered a two-week shutdown of businesses after a surge in Covid cases and hospitalizations.
A statement was published on Aug. 12 saying the outbreak was over as there had been no new cases in Saugeen First Nation for the past 14 days.
