Over 1000 vaccine doses destroyed in the Peißenberg vaccination center - "We have Moderna to feed us"

Created: 01/16/2022, 09:43

By: Sebastian Tauchnitz

Numerous Moderna doses had to be destroyed because they could not be vaccinated in time.

© Sebastian Willnow / dpa

Over the past few days, there have been reports that expired vaccines have been used in medical practices and vaccination centers.

Why is it?

District

– 551 doses of Moderna vaccine were vaccinated at the vaccination center in Herrsching these days, although their expiry date had expired.

The excitement in the neighboring district of Starnberg is great, everyone will be offered a free antibody test in a few weeks and a vaccination that may be necessary.

Christian Achmüller, head of the vaccination center for the Weilheim-Schongau district in Peißenberg, follows the news closely.

“The reports are piling up.

That is not surprising either, because the situation is extremely complicated.”

No consistent expiration dates on vaccine vials

It's just different with the vaccine than with the yoghurt pot in the fridge: there is often no expiry date printed on it and if it is, then it refers to storage in a deep-frozen state.

Different expiry dates for the same batch number do happen - "that's a science," says Achmüller.

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How good that he is with Dr.

Christoph Wittermann, as medical director, has an experienced scientist at his side who has already accompanied many vaccination studies.

"He's very much behind it," reports Achmüller.

As soon as a new delivery arrives, Wittermann disappears into the warehouse and labels each individual pack very precisely and legibly.

"He's meticulous - when in doubt, we'd rather dispose of the vaccine a day too early than take the risk that it could have been outdated." And some vaccine is now being disposed of in Peißenberg.

What seemed unimaginable just a few months ago is now the order of the day.

No appointment problems at the Peißenberg vaccination center

Because it has become difficult to plan exactly what is needed.

“The situation is very quiet at the moment.

Too quiet for my taste,” says Achmüller.

If you register with BayImco today, you can usually choose an appointment on the same day, but you can definitely be vaccinated the next day.

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The mobile vaccination offers would also be accepted as mixed.

However, because the vaccination marathon around the Epiphany was well received and a number of those wanting to be vaccinated stopped by in the middle of the night, the vaccination center has been offering a "long vaccination night" every 14 days since yesterday Friday.

Then you can have your first, second and third vaccination until midnight.

"You don't need an appointment if you want to avoid waiting times - and yes, they happen late in the evening more often than you think - but to be on the safe side, you should make an appointment beforehand via www.impfzentren.bayern."

"I'd rather throw away five bottles before sending away someone who wants to be vaccinated"

Because it is currently difficult to predict how many people will come by for vaccination, vaccines in Peißenberg have to be disposed of again and again because they have expired. "In the past week alone we have destroyed 100 bottles of Moderna," says Achmüller. That's 1000 vaccine doses. "Of course it hurts, especially when you know what a rare commodity the vaccine was last year," says Achmüller. But he has since had to relearn: "In the current situation, I'd rather throw away five bottles of unused vaccine than send even one person who wants to be vaccinated home because the vaccine they want isn't available." Pandemic, every vaccination counts.

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"We have Moderna to feed us"

The Biontech vaccine, which many people who want to be vaccinated explicitly want, is still scarce, says Achmüller.

"We have Moderna to feed us, but Biontech requires organizational talent," he says and reports that the employees at the vaccination center have only just driven back to the vaccination center in Rosenheim because "they have another source and are therefore handing over Biontech cans could".

According to Achmüller, there is still nothing new to report in terms of extending the contract for the vaccination center in Peißenberg.

Although the first federal states such as Saxony-Anhalt have already announced that they will continue to operate the vaccination centers until at least the end of the year, Bavaria is currently keeping a low profile on this topic.

"There are rumors that something might be happening there, but no one knows what exactly," he continues.

The vaccination center contract with the Johanniter currently runs until the end of April.