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Moderna doses that had temperature excursion during shipment deemed viable by CDC and Moderna

February 01, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2021
Contact: Lynn Sutfin

LANSING, MICH. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has been notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Moderna doses shipped earlier this month that indicated a temperature excursion remain viable and can be used to vaccinate Michiganders.

The 8,900 doses shipped by McKesson in mid-January had their temperature reported as going out of range and getting too cold by the monitoring device used to check the vaccine temperature while in transport. Initial reports had the total doses impacted at 11,900. McKesson completed an internal investigation and determined the cause and lower limit of the cold excursion in these shipments. Based on data provided as part of that investigation, Moderna agreed that the vaccine in this shipment was viable upon arrival and remains viable under the following circumstances:

  • Doses are confirmed to have been stored in quarantine at -20C, or
  • Doses are confirmed to have been stored in quarantine at 2-8C and the doses were placed in refrigerated storage within 30 days.

“We are pleased we will be able to use these vaccines to protect Michiganders from the virus as we work to reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16 as quickly as possible with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “These safeguards are put into place to ensure the integrity of the vaccine and based on the investigation that was conducted, these vaccines can now be used.”

Vaccines are shipped to vaccine providers across the state by the manufacturers and distributors. No vaccine is shipped or distributed by MDHHS. Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.

 

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Coronavirus Department of Health & Human Services

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