4-Year-Old Girl Went to Walgreens for Flu Shot, Walked Out Injected with Full Dose of COVID Vaccine

A 4-year-old lady was speculated to get her flu shot at an area Walgreens in Baltimore earlier this month, however as an alternative unintentionally obtained a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The combo-up, reported by The Baltimore Sun, may have had probably harmful implications, as youngsters beneath 12 are usually not formally cleared to get the vaccine beneath Meals and Drug Administration requirements.

The drug large Pfizer, which produced the vaccine the lady obtained, has utilized to the FDA for authorization to make use of a much less potent shot of the vaccine on youngsters aged 5 to 11, the Sun reported, however even when that have been permitted, it’s nonetheless out of the lady’s age vary.

In a press release, Walgreens spokesman Phil Caruso mentioned the corporate has apologized to the household for the error, in accordance with Fox News.

“Occasions like this are extraordinarily uncommon and we take this matter very severely,” the assertion mentioned.

“We’re in contact with the affected person’s household and we’ve got apologized. Our multi-step vaccination process consists of a number of security checks to reduce the possibility of human error. We’ve not too long ago reviewed this course of with our pharmacy employees with a view to stop a future prevalence.”

Victoria Olivier, the lady’s mom, instructed the Solar the household took steps comparable to calling poison management and asking for recommendation on social media as a precautionary measure.

Fortunately, the lady had no fast ailing results, in accordance with the Solar report.

In keeping with Fox, the FDA additionally launched a press release concerning the Baltimore incident, noting that the company had not “evaluated knowledge pertaining to the security and effectiveness” of the COVID vaccine in youngsters 12.

“We’re glad to listen to that the kid is doing effectively and hope that she ultimately obtained her flu vaccine,” the assertion mentioned.

“As per the vaccination supplier settlement, it’s obligatory for vaccination suppliers to report vaccine administration errors whether or not or not related to an opposed occasion to VAERS [The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System].”

The Maryland incident comes after an analogous factor occurred to Savannah Courtad, a younger lady in Arizona.

In an Instagram post, Courtad described going to a Walgreens earlier this month for a flu shot and getting a COVID-19 vaccination as an alternative — a vaccination she by no means consented to.

Courtad doesn’t determine the situation of the Walgreens, however her Instagram biography describes her as a 19-year-old in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“She gave me the shot and as I used to be leaving instructed me to come back again for my 2nd dose in 21 days,” Courtad wrote.

“Nurses can’t simply go round injecting individuals with the incorrect shot,” she continued. “I by no means gave consent for the COVID-19 vaccine to be injected into my physique. No matter one’s place on this vaccine I’d hope that we will all agree that having one thing injected into your physique ought to be your CHOICE.”

The Olivier household and Courtad’s instances each reveal a possible procedural concern with how Walgreens is dealing with this chaotic crossover between flu season and the COVID-19 pandemic.

For many who are over the age of 12, the vaccine is actually protected and efficient to reduce the hurt of contracting COVID-19, however that doesn’t excuse errors when the affected person is both too younger or didn’t need the shot.

Though the Olivier household has mentioned they won’t file a criticism with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy, this error ought to make dad and mom extraordinarily cautious after they convey their young children to get their flu shot this fall.