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Seattle hospitals rush out COVID-19 vaccines overnight after freezer failure
Q13's Steve Kiggins reports.
SEATTLE - A malfunctioning freezer door is to blame for a midnight scramble to ensure COVID-19 vaccinations were put to good use rather than having to pour them down the drain.
Around 1,600 doses were saved after healthcare workers scrambled to spread the word to eligible patients.
The freezer was inside one of Kaiser Permanente’s facilities in Seattle, but security reasons kept the company from sharing its exact location.
Some of those who received a dose had spent weeks trying to find a vaccine until suddenly luck was on their side late Thursday night.
"You know, if I had to do it over again, and I would, I would wear a winter coat," said Tyson Greer.
Related: COVID-19 vaccine info: Where to get vaccinated in Washington state
It took around three hours Thursday night for 77-year-old Greer to accomplish what she could not for several weeks: Finding a COVID-19 vaccine with her name on it.
"This whole roll out from the federal level has been a real goat rodeo," she said.
If healthcare workers could not administer the vaccines in a matter of hours the entire lot would be useless. UW Medicine and Swedish joined forces to spread the word. It spread fast.
"I was woken up to be informed I was doing this," said Andrew Hawkins.
Related: Seattle-area hospitals see hopeful signs in virus fight
Andrew was lucky. He qualified to get a vaccine under the state’s prioritization schedule even as younger patients were turned away. Healthcare workers managed to save every dose before they expired.
"It’s awesome when the community comes together, we can do great things," said Swedish COO Kevin Brooks.
Some workers had been on the clock since 7 a.m. and pushed on through the night. Pharmacists, volunteers, and a local firefighter showed up to make sure vaccines made it into patients.
For Greer, getting the vaccine was like a duty, similar to when she among the first generation to receive the polio vaccine in the 1950s. But, she didn’t expect how one night doctor’s visit would make her feel.
"One side effect they didn’t mention," said Greer. "That’s euphoria."
Officials say everyone who got a vaccine will be scheduled for their second injection in about a week.
The incident likely won’t impact anyone who has an appointment for vaccine clinics this weekend.