Vaccine Lost in Lawrence

Nearly 600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine have been lost during a transfer between Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health and LMH Health.

LDCPH received 570 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on March 3 in a refrigerated state, and transferred them to LMH Health on Wednesday, March 10.

Because vaccines are typically delivered to LMH Health while still frozen, the standard process is to place them into a freezer at the hospital until they are ready for distribution.

LMH Health followed this procedure upon receipt of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines, not realizing they were already thawed.

“When we discovered the vaccines had been delivered to the hospital in a refrigerated state, LMH Health immediately reached out to Johnson & Johnson for guidance,” said a LMH Health spokesperson.

The company told LMH Health that the doses had to be discarded.