Health officials hand out leftover vaccines on the roadside after snow closures

by KTVL

Wed, January 27th 2021, 2:02 AM UTC

After getting stuck in a snow-related road closure staff members from the Josephine County Health Department administer COVID-19 vaccines roadside to avoid wasting 6 doses left over from a vaccination clinic. Doses can only be open for six hours. (JCHD){p}{/p}

After getting stuck in a snow-related road closure staff members from the Josephine County Health Department pose for a picture. Staff members administered COVID-19 vaccines roadside to avoid wasting 6 doses. (JCHD)

The snow over Hayey Hill in Josephine County on Hwy 199. Members of{ } the Josephine County Health Department became stuck on the roadside and ended up giving away 6 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine along the roadside to avoid wasting the doses.{ }{p}{/p}

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After getting stuck in a snow-related road closure staff members from the Josephine County Health Department administer COVID-19 vaccines roadside to avoid wasting 6 doses left over from a vaccination clinic. Doses can only be open for six hours. (JCHD)

Josephine County, Ore — Josephine County Health officials said they gave out six doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at an "impromptu vaccine clinic" along the roadside after winter weather hazards on the Highway caused lengthy delays.

The department said about 20 personnel became stranded on Highway 199 near Hayes Hill on their way to Grants Pass after staffing the Illinois Valley High School Vaccine Clinic.

The vaccines which are only good for 6 hours once opened were getting close to their expiration so officials decided to offer them to other motorists stuck along the roadside.

"Recipients (of the six vaccines) had been identified in Grants Pass, but the snow meant those doses wouldn't make it to them before they expired," the department said in a Facebook Post. "Not wanting to waste any doses, dedicated JCPH staff members began walking from car to car, offering stranded motorists a chance at receiving the vaccine (with an ambulance from AMR-Josephine County on hand for safety)."

In the end, all six doses were administered, including one to a Josephine County Sheriff's Office employee who had arrived too late for the IVHS clinic but ended up stopped with the others on her way back to Grants Pass.

JCPH Director Mike Weber said it was one of the coolest operations he'd been a part of.

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