A Texas physician who was fired after apparently taking 9 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in order to administer them to his family and friends now faces criminal charges.
Dosages of the COVID-19 vaccines are still slated to be delivered to states for dispersal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Avoidance ( CDC), approximatly 15.7 million vaccinations had actually been administered to Americans out of 31.2 million dispersed doses. The vaccines are subject to expiration and need refrigeration for appropriate storage. Texas authorities declare that Dr. Hasan Gokal allegedly stole a vial of vaccine that was close to expiration.
While working at a vaccination website in the town of Humble in December 2020, Gokal presumably took one vial of the vaccine which consisted of 9 separate doses. Gokal was fired from his position with Harris County Public Health after he told a coworker he had actually taken the vaccine. The colleague reported Gokal’s activities to public health supervisors.
According to a Thursday declaration from Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, Gokal “abused his position to place his loved ones in line in front of people who had actually gone through the legal process to be there. What he did was prohibited and he’ll be held liable under the law.”
Ogg declared that Gokal’s actions breached county protocols indicated to “make sure vaccine is not squandered but administered to vulnerable populations and front-line workers on a waiting list.”
Paul Doyle, Gokal’s attorney, explained Gokal in a Thursday statement as a “devoted public servant who made sure that COVID-19 vaccine dosages that would have otherwise ended entered into the arms of people who met the criteria for getting it.”
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Both versions of the COVID-19 vaccine currently dispersed by the U.S. Government need refrigerated storage systems. Moderna’s vaccine can be kept in a standard freezer unity for up to six months or in a regular refrigerator for up to 30 days. The vaccine made by Pfizer requires to be stored in an industrial freezer system at approximately minus 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
SpecialtyRx, an Ohio supplier of the COVID-19 vaccine, was suspended on Wednesday after 890 dosages of the Moderna vaccine were found to be non-viable.
According to a declaration from the ODH, allowances of COVID-19 vaccines to SpecialtyRx were halted “and the supplier has been advised to not administer or transfer any of the affected doses” until further notification.
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