"Environmental Factors" Damaged Vaccine Vials

Initial investigation found long travel time damaged vials

 

This evening a preliminary report was released by German drug maker BioNTech and Chinese distributor Fosun Pharma investigating the 57 cases of damaged vaccine vials and found no systemic errors that merit an extended suspension.

On Wednesday the Macau and Hong Kong governments abruptly stopped the vaccine program for BioNTech after several reports of cracked vials and stains on the glass exterior.

The vaccine program abruptly halted Wednesday

Perhaps hampering the investigation was the revelation that healthcare workers were instructed to dispose of the damaged vials -- making it difficult for the vaccine maker and distributor to determine exactly what went wrong and could only do random tests on existing vials and found there were no leakages.

Nevertheless, BioNTech and Fosun Pharma say "environmental factors" could have damaged the vials during the long-distance transportation, but concluded that the defects were not related to logistics and cold-chain management. 

"Our plan is if the current batches have no quality and safety concerns, we can resume the vaccination," said Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen this morning, adding priority would be given to those due for their second vaccine dose.

Nip says BioNTech jabs to restart soon

According to Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, co-convenor of the expert committee monitoring the effects of vaccines, expected the BioNTech vaccinations to restart next week.

So far about 437,200 people have gotten at least one jab, about 6.6 percent of the eligible population. 

Today was also the first time Hong Kong has no local infections since November 16 when the fourth wave began. 

"We are finally reaching a stage where we have a chance to achieve zero cases, and we hope it will remain that way," government pandemic adviser Yuen Kwok-yung said. "We have to be very careful with any lifting of social-distancing measures at this moment. If we can record a consecutive 14-28 days without a local infection, the city will be free of the coronavirus."

Yuen says HK needs 14-28 days of zero local cases

If more people get vaccinated then the chances of having zero cases is higher. Isn't that a good enough incentive to get the jab? 

In any event restarting the BioNTech vaccinations soon will be good news for those eager to get the jab.