Times Square pop-up vaccine site used expired doses
The entrance to a vaccination site in Times Square. (FOX 5 NY Photo)
NEW YORK - A pop-up COVID vaccination site in Times Square administered ineffective shots to hundreds of people last week.
New York City health officials said the operators of the site that was located inside the former NFL Experience building used doses that had been kept in a freezer too long.
It sent an emergency notice to scores of patients saying that the staff mistakenly used expired doses of the Pfizer vaccine between June 5 and June 10.
Patients were being told that that they need to get another shot because the dose they received may not be effective.
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In a statement, the New York City Health Department said that Pfizer recommended that the patients get another shot "as soon as possible."
"While there is no safety risk for the patients, the re-administration is being carried out to ensure that the individuals are fully protected," the Health Department told FOX 5 NY. "Those patients have received e-mails, phone calls, and are also being sent letters to make sure they are aware of this situation."
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 requires two shots to be given about three weeks apart, according to the CDC.
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ATC Vaccination Services ran the site.
In a statement to FOX 5 NY, it said: "We apologize for the inconvenience to those receiving the vaccine batch in question and want people first and foremost to know that we have been advised that there is no danger from the vaccine they received."