Patients expecting COVID-19 vaccine injected with empty syringes at Kroger location in Virginia: report

Multiple patients at a Kroger location in Virginia who were hoping to receive the COVID-19 vaccine were reportedly injected with an empty syringe by mistake, according to a local report. 

A health care professional at the location at Kroger location in Chesterfield County was “under the impression” that a colleague had filled the syringes before the patients came in for their appointments, local news station WRIC reported. Fewer than 10 people were injected with an empty syringe. 

The patients affected by the mishap were later contacted to come back for the actual vaccine, per the news station, which added that the Virginia Department of Health was subsequently contacted and has been “working with [the Kroger location] on this issue.” 

Vaccinators have since been re-trained on how to administer the vaccine. 

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“We apologize for this oversight and the inconvenience caused for these customers,” a Kroger spokesperson told WRIC in a statement. 

“This is a Herculean effort by the government and private industry working together to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Mistakes are going to happen in this process, I think that should be expected,” one patient who received his vaccine at the Kroger location said. “But I think we should take it in stride, and it should certainly not deter anybody from seeking the vaccine or getting the vaccine.”

COLORADO WOMAN EXPECTING COVID-19 VACCINE INJECTED WITH EMPTY SYRINGE

A similar incident occurred in Colorado in January when an 82-year-old woman expecting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a local vaccination clinic was also mistakenly injected with an empty syringe.