The Latest: Tennessee probe finds wasted vaccines
By The Associated PressFebruary 23, 2021 GMT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. More than 2,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Tennessee’s most populous county went to waste over the past month while local officials sat on tens of thousands of shots that they thought had already gone into arms, the state’s top health official announced Tuesday.
The finding comes after the Department of Health launched an investigation over the weekend into a report that recent winter storms caused 1,000 doses to be tossed in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis.
But Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey on Tuesday revealed that the problems were far more widespread. She said issues dating back to Feb. 3 included multiple incidents of spoiled doses, an excessive vaccine inventory, insufficient record-keeping and a lack of a formal process for managing soon-to-expire vaccines. A federal investigation is also expected.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. More than 2,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Tennessee’s most populous county went to waste over the past month while local officials sat on tens of thousands of shots that they thought had already gone into arms, the state’s top health official announced Tuesday.
The finding comes after the Department of Health launched an investigation over the weekend into a report that recent winter storms caused 1,000 doses to be tossed in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis.
But Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey on Tuesday revealed that the problems were far more widespread. She said issues dating back to Feb. 3 included multiple incidents of spoiled doses, an excessive vaccine inventory, insufficient record-keeping and a lack of a formal process for managing soon-to-expire vaccines. A federal investigation is also expected.
Associated Press
photo by: Associated Press
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks to reporters, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, during a Statehouse news conference in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna)
WICHITA Hospitality businesses that got loans through an emergency relief fund in Kansas at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer have to repay the money, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday.
Funding provided through the Hospitality Industry Relief Emergency Fund has been converted from bridge loans to grants, the governor said. The program was originally envisioned as a working capital loan program. Businesses that have made repayments will be reimbursed.