We’re learning about a significant new update in COVID-19 vaccinations here in North Texas.
Methodist Health System said they were able to get 20% more doses per vials than originally expected.
“We were supplied with this syringe. You can see this has no real hub. What we’ve found real quick is we were able to get six doses out of a vial, almost seven,” said Jon Albrecht, chief pharmacy officer for Methodist Health System.
Albrecht said they were given two syringes by the state.
By using one over the other, Methodist Health System was able to get about 1,000 more vaccines than expected in their first shipment of 5,850.
“We started using this syringe, provided by the government. So we weren’t losing the overfill volume that Pfizer anticipated we might,” Albrecht said.
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Twenty percent more in doses means 20% more people will be able to get vaccinated.
“We reached out to our professional society, and also the FDA who said, yes, if you can get six doses, let’s go with it,” Albrecht said.
Over 3,000 Methodist employees and medical staff have been vaccinated including Albrecht.
He said none have reported severe side effects.
Methodist is awaiting the next important shipment of new doses early next week.
The hospital system learned Friday to expect 1,950 new doses — likely on Monday
With 20% more out of each vial that means about 2,200 doses, Albrecht said.
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
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