OAKLAND—On Wednesday, March 3, the California Department of Health said that people who were vaccinated at the Oakland Coliseum may have been underdosed for the Pfizer vaccine. Investigators discovered that on February 28 and March 1, 6,300 people received less than the recommended dose due to human error. The individuals have been notified by the Department of Public Health in a letter via postal mail or via email.
In an email statement, Ali Bay a representative of the Department of Public Health stated: “While the recommended dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 0.3 ml, the CDC has determined that any dosage of 0.15 ml or larger is safe and does not require the dose to be repeated to protect people against COVID-19.” She added, “In this instance, some individuals may have received a dose of 0.22 ml, which is well within the range outlined by the CDC.”
Two EMT’s were responsible for alerting of the underdosage that took place. The dosing difference was corrected by on-site staff on Monday, March 8, so that new patient’s received the proper dose. Bay said that the people who received lower doses have nothing to do except get the second dose of the vaccine.
On Wednesday, March 10, KTVU reported that several people received letters about the underdosage, but a new error transpired. Many of the people who received the letter did not get vaccinated at the Oakland Coliseum causing more confusion amongst the public who received their vaccinations at the Eastmont Mall, who now believe they receive inadequate doses.
In an interview with KTVU, Bay reasoned the people at Eastmont Mall “inadvertently” received a letter of underdosage because the site is run by the California Office of Emergency Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the same agencies running the Coliseum site. Bay noted that anyone involved would receive a letter explaining the incident in its entirety.
