PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV) – The following message was sent to the public by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has suspended Pueblo-based VitalPoint Urgent Care from the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, effective November 19, 2021.
During an unannounced site inspection, the state identified a number of irregularities in vaccine storage and handling, high vaccine wastage, issues with required reporting, and inappropriate vaccine administration to individuals outside of the recommended age group.
CDPHE determined that VitalPoint Urgent Care violated the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider Agreement in the following ways:
-Failure to store and handle COVID-19 vaccines in compliance with the CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit.
-Failure to document and report required vaccine administration information.
-Failure to maintain onsite documentation of the storage and administration of COVID-19 vaccine.
-Inappropriate administration of vaccine to individuals outside of the recommended age group.
-Failure to report records to the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) within 72 hours of vaccine administration.
-Failure to provide an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) fact sheet to each vaccine recipient prior to vaccination.
-Failure to report temperature excursions, contact manufacturer and quarantine vaccine.
-Failure to report COVID-19 vaccine wastage.
-Failure to report vaccine administration errors to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
Because of these violations, any vaccine doses administered at VitalPoint Urgent Care are considered invalid and patients will need to be revaccinated. Records
show 98 patients received vaccinations at the site, and those with contact information in their vaccine record will be contacted directly by CDPHE with guidance. CDPHE will work with the appropriate authorities regarding any possibility of fraud in this instance.
CDC recommends all patients vaccinated at VitalPoint Urgent Care should repeat one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine immediately (no minimum interval), regardless of the total number of doses received at the clinic. Vaccine recipients who were younger than the minimum authorized age for the vaccine received should receive one dose of the age-appropriate formulation Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. If individuals have not yet received a booster dose, they can receive one when eligible.
For people who received one dose at VitalPoint Urgent Care:
If individuals received one dose of Moderna vaccine at VitalPoint Urgent Care, that dose is considered invalid and they should receive two additional doses of Moderna vaccine. They should get an additional dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine immediately and a final dose of Moderna 28 days later (e.g., 28 days after your repeated valid dose).
If individuals received one dose of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine at VitalPoint Urgent Care, that dose is considered invalid and they should receive one additional dose of J&J vaccine immediately.
For people who received two doses at VitalPoint Urgent Care:
If individuals received two doses of Moderna vaccine at VitalPoint Urgent Care, those doses are considered invalid and they should receive one additional dose of Moderna vaccine immediately.
Following receipt of a single repeat dose, these individuals will be considered fully vaccinated.
Individuals who need an additional vaccine can use our full list of providers online to locate a new provider to schedule their vaccination or by calling our 24 hour call center at 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926).
If patients witness what they believe to be unsafe or unethical vaccination practices, CDPHE encourages them to file a complaint using our online complaint form. Anyone with knowledge or concerns about an enrolled COVID-19 vaccine provider can file a complaint.
Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov.
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