In an article published by Medscape in collaboration with the CDC, it identified that proper vaccine administration is necessary to ensure vaccine effectiveness, achieve optimal vaccine-induced protection, avoid safety implications, and assure confidence in the COVID-19 vaccination program. Since the launch of vaccination efforts on December 14, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received more than 30 inquiries through the CDC inquiry response services (i.e., CDC-INFO, NIP-INFO) seeking guidance for managing an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine administration error that had occurred.

The most common error type described in inquires, representing more than one third of inquiries, was administration of a lower-than-authorized dose (i.e., the needle disconnecting from the syringe, resulting in vaccine spillage). Other frequent error types included administration to someone younger than the authorized age (18.5% of inquires) and administration by route other than intramuscular (IM) (12.3% of inquiries).

To prevent vaccine administration errors, providers should be aware of the EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations and the CDC’s interim clinical considerations for COVID-19 vaccination. Given the importance of vaccinating as many Americans as quickly and safely as possible, it is critical to prevent waste and make every does count!

Stay well, mask up, and stay tuned!