Every dose of the coronavirus vaccine can save lives. So it’s incredibly important not to waste a single drop. Especially at a time when there are not enough doses to innocent the whole country.
A group of Josephine County Public Health employees in Oregon are receiving a lot of attention for their dedication to administering every last dose of the vaccine.
The group of 20 health workers got stuck in a snowstorm on Tuesday on their way to a COVID-19 vaccination event in rural Cave Junction on their way to Grants Pass, about 30 miles away.
The journey usually takes about 45 minutes, but a tractor trailer on the road ahead meant they were stuck for hours. This meant that the remaining six doses of the COVID-19 vaccine they were carrying would probably expire by the time they reached Grants Pass.
via Josephine County Public Health / Facebook
Once a vial of the vaccine has been thawed out of the freezer, the clock starts ticking as to whether it can be administered. But after the bottle is pierced, it must be used within six hours, otherwise it must be thrown out.
So the team decided to start knocking on the windows of the cars of the other stranded people to see if they wanted the vaccine.
“We had one person who was so lucky, he took off his shirt and jumped out of the car,” said Michael Weber, director of public health in Josephine County.
The team also fired a shot at an employee of the sheriff’s office in Josephine County, who arrived late at the vaccination at Cave Junction.
via Josephine County Public Health / Facebook
Although the efforts of the health care team should be applauded, they knew they were in a pretty strange situation. “It was a strange conversation,” Weber said. “Imagine being stranded on the side of the road in a blizzard and having someone come up and say, ‘Hey. Do you want a shot in the arm?’
The workers were able to administer all six doses of the vaccine before it expired.
“Honestly, once we knew we would not be back in town in time to use the vaccine, it was just the obvious choice,” Webber said. “Our number one rule now is that nothing is wasted.”
According to Josephine Public Health’s Facebook page, Webber says the makeshift vaccination clinic along the way ‘was one of the coolest surgeries he has participated in’.
Oregon currently ranks 24th among states in vaccinations administered per capita. The state has vaccinated 325,000 of its 4.2 million inhabitants.
Finally, there is one more question: will the people vaccinated along the way have the opportunity to get their second booster shot within a month? Or will they have to wait their turn?
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