The Colorado National Guard confiscated thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccine at a medical spa in Colorado on Friday, the same day health officials launched an investigation into possible problems with the vaccination process there, provincial officials said Saturday.
The state health department approved the administration of the coronavirus vaccine to Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic, located in the Satellite Hotel in southeastern Colorado Springs, was suspended after public health officials in El Paso County observed the clinic during the vaccination process earlier in the day. Jared Verner, deputy public information officer for the province’s health department, told The Gazette on Saturday.
The state health department has suspended the clinic’s ability to administer the vaccines “due to irregularities in the storage and handling of vaccines” observed by health officials in the country, according to a news release from the state health department sent late Friday. Investigators are investigating whether the actions observed on Friday were isolated or ongoing, the release added.
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On Saturday, Verner said investigators will also investigate whether vaccination protocol documentation was followed.
“There is particular concern about possible temperature outages and the lack of regular temperature monitoring as required for participation in the COVID-19 vaccination program,” he said.
According to the health department, the clinic will not receive doses while the investigation is ongoing.
On Friday, Guard members confiscated thousands of doses from the clinic, which administered both Pfizer and Moderna, and brought them to the state laboratory. One hundred and fifty doses in pre-drawn syringes “will have to be wasted because the state cannot confirm that proper handling and temperature are maintained,” Verner said.
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The state Department of Health needs to complete its investigation before determining what to do with the remaining 3,000 doses, adding that the department is consulting with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and vaccine manufacturers.
According to the state health department, more than 1,000 appointments have been canceled for Saturday, in addition to 6,000 appointments scheduled for May 8. The clinic has been administering the vaccine since March 1, Verner said Saturday.
Individuals with the appointment of vaccines will be contacted by the state about the rescheduling, but may reschedule themselves “with any available COVID-19 vaccine provider of their choice,” Verner said. “The state will also follow up on these people to host appointments through El Paso County Public Health, and the two agencies will work through the logistics to make appointments available.”
Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic is run by Sylvienash Moma, who holds a doctorate in nursing practice but is not a medical doctor. According to the clinic’s website, the services offered are largely aesthetic, including facials, laser hair removal, acne treatment, tattoo removal and Botox injections.
The Gazette’s attempts to contact the clinic for comment were unsuccessful. The clinic does not appear to have a voicemail service. The website shows that it is open on Saturdays from 09:00 to 16:00, but is closed early Saturday afternoon. A sign was placed outside the door of the office that read: ‘Dr. Moma Health & Wellness Clinic offers COVID-19 vaccinations! ”
Meanwhile, patients who have already received their vaccinations at the clinic are wondering if they should be vaccinated again. According to health officials, the clinic administered nearly 4,000 vaccines before Friday.
Alison Christofferson, who received her first dose of Pfizer vaccine at the medical spa on April 1, said she initially thought that Dr. Moma was a doctor.
“After I made the appointment, I looked up the place and found it was a medical spa,” Christofferson said. “But I thought, ‘If they can give Botox injections, they should give it a try. ‘
She received an email late Friday that the state health department had interrupted the administration of the vaccines in the clinic.
“My first thought was, ‘Oh well, I should have followed my gut and never been vaccinated there,'” Christofferson told The Gazette on Saturday. “It looked fishy. But I wanted the vaccine, so I flooded my gut. ‘
Christofferson was notified of the suspension because she was planning a second appointment with the clinic. But Sue Aspenson, who received her second dose on Friday, received the news from a friend who is a contact tracker.
“She contacted me (Friday) night and said we would probably see something on the news (about the suspension) but did not want to talk about it,” Aspenson said. “But of course I was looking forward to it.”
Aspenson said she searched the El Paso County public health website in an effort to find out what her next step should be. She has seen guidance from health officials for those who need to rearrange the appointment of vaccines, she said. But “what about people who got both shots? I apparently get no answers. ”
Christofferson, who should receive her second dose within about two weeks, is waiting for guidance from health officials before planning an appointment with another clinic.
Aspenson I hope health officials will tell her and others who have received two doses from the wellness clinic what to do next.
“Once I have received a legal dose, I do not want to put any more chemicals in my body,” she said. “But if the dose is not good, I still need the vaccine.”