AUSTIN, Texas — More than 3,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine spoiled in Texas due to power outages from the winter storm in February, according to new data released by the Department of State Health Services.
Following the storm, the KVUE Defenders found DSHS added the category "Natural disaster / power outage" to its weekly report on wasted doses. Back in early March, Texas providers reported a total of 1,477 doses wasted in that category.
Weeks later, DSHS data shows 3,123 doses wasted due to that storm, which is more than double the number first reported.
RELATED: More COVID-19 vaccines wasted by Austin providers than any other Texas city, except Houston
Austin Public Health (APH) did not report any wasted doses from the winter storm, but has wasted 291 doses total: 55 due to a "mechanical failure," 38 due to "spoiled – other," and 198 due to "other." That amounts to .14% of doses shipped to APH.
APH ranks sixth in Texas for providers who have wasted the most doses of the vaccine, according to the data from DSHS.
In total, Texas providers have reported 9,229 wasted doses of 11,630,345 doses that have been shipped, which is less than 1%.
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