By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Livingston County’s COVID vaccine supply was not included in a shipment that Michigan officials say was ruined by temperature fluctuations.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported Tuesday that it had been notified by distribution company McKesson Corporation that several shipments of Moderna vaccine shipped on Sunday, Jan. 17, had their temperature reported as going out of range and getting too cold. The cause of the incident is under investigation by McKesson.

Livingston County Health Department Director Dianne McCormick tells WHMI that fortunately the county’s next shipment of vaccine was not included in the compromised batch. She says that the county received on allotment on Tuesday of 1,100 first doses and 1,200 second vaccine doses, which will be prioritized for first responders, those age 65 and up and K-12 educators. However, she says all of their current appointments are filled. Meanwhile, St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital is concentrating on vaccination efforts to those working in health care, which are in the 1A category.

As for the spoiled vaccine, state officials say each shipment is equipped with a temperature monitoring device used to track the vaccine temperature while it’s in transport. McKesson says they are working quickly to repack additional vaccine to ship out as replacement doses for those that may have been compromised and the majority of the 21 shipments were resent on Monday night with the rest being sent Tuesday. An additional six shipments were held back to check that there were no issues with the vaccine which may delay scheduled vaccinations at those six vaccine provider sites.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health, said they are “committed to accelerating vaccine delivery” as they work to reach their goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders over age 16 as quickly as possible. “Although it is unfortunate that this vaccine will not be able to be used, we are pleased that the safeguards put into place to ensure the integrity of the vaccine worked. This is the first report of vaccine potentially being compromised during shipment in Michigan and we are working quickly with the distributor to have replacement vaccine shipped out.”

State officials remind that vaccines are shipped to providers across the state by the manufacturers and distributors. No vaccine is shipped or distributed by the MDHHS.