# Kroger clinic patients given empty COVID-19 vaccine shots



## Becky1951 (Mar 11, 2021)

How could they not know the syringe was empty?
An empty syringe has the plunger all the way down, and when the needle went into the arm whoever was giving the injection wouldn't be able to push the plunger down because its already down.

*Kroger clinic patients given empty COVID-19 vaccine shots*


CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Kroger location in Virginia administered shots with empty syringes to multiple patients scheduled for a COVID-19 vaccine.

A Kroger spokesperson told Nexstar’s WRIC that workers at one of their Little Clinic locations made the mistake of administering the shots. They said the health care professional giving the shots was under the impression that a colleague had filled the syringes prior to the appointments.

“Less than 10” people got a shot of nothing, according to the spokesperson.

Everyone who did not receive a vaccine upon their first visit was called back to the clinic to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

The spokesperson said that the Virginia Department of Health has been working with them after the incident.

Kroger said the issue was addressed with staff and vaccinators and The Little Clinic workers have been retrained to give vaccines.

“We apologize for this oversight and the inconvenience caused for these customers,” Kroger said in a statement.

Throughout the vaccination process, clinics at Kroger locations have administered around 836,000 vaccines.

Local residents who heard about the incident offered a mixture of emotions. James Millner, who got his COVID-19 vaccine at the same Kroger location, says he believes mistakes are inevitable.

“This is a Herculean effort by the government and private industry working together to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Mistakes are going to happen in this process, I think that should be expected,” Millner said. “But I think we should take it in stride, and it should certainly not deter anybody from seeking the vaccine or getting the vaccine.”

Another resident voiced concerns, saying she was worried people could be hesitant about getting the vaccine after the mistake.

Zena Vruce says, “There’s already people having problems already about, you know, ‘should I take it or should I not?’”

Vruce said the empty shots seemed “a little reckless” and wonders how someone did not notice the syringes were not full of vaccine.



https://www.wkrn.com/news/kroger-clinic-patients-given-empty-covid-19-vaccine-shots/


----------



## MarciKS (Mar 11, 2021)

You have got to be frickin kidding me? OMG! Some people are too stupid to be holding the jobs they have.


----------



## Sunny (Mar 11, 2021)

In fact, if the syringes contained nothing but air, I'm surprised they didn't kill anyone by injecting air into their bodies.


----------



## StarSong (Mar 11, 2021)

How bizarre!


----------



## Becky1951 (Mar 11, 2021)

If air is injected it wouldn't kill but into a vein it certainly would. 
It's just mind boggling how they didn't know the syringe was empty. And these were health care professionals???


----------



## Aunt Marg (Mar 11, 2021)

Becky1951 said:


> How could they not know the syringe was empty?
> An empty syringe has the plunger all the way down, and when the needle went into the arm whoever was giving the injection wouldn't be able to push the plunger down because its already down.
> 
> *Kroger clinic patients given empty COVID-19 vaccine shots*
> ...


Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic.

This world has gone to pot.


----------



## MrPants (Mar 11, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic.
> 
> This world has gone to *pot*.


Maybe that's the issue?


----------



## Aunt Marg (Mar 11, 2021)

MrPants said:


> Maybe that's the issue?


I don't doubt it, MrPants.


----------



## Aneeda72 (Mar 11, 2021)

Sunny said:


> In fact, if the syringes contained nothing but air, I'm surprised they didn't kill anyone by injecting air into their bodies.


That was my first thought as well, but it does not go in an artery


----------



## Aneeda72 (Mar 11, 2021)

Becky1951 said:


> If air is injected it wouldn't kill but into a vein it certainly would.
> It's just mind boggling how they didn't know the syringe was empty. And these were health care professionals???


I had to use the word artery,  Alexa wanted to spell vein as vain, knew that was wrong, but couldn’t think of the right spelling .  Still great minds thing alike.


----------



## MarciKS (Mar 11, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> I don't doubt it, MrPants.


I don't know. I think we've had a couple dope heads at work over the past few months. Wouldn't be surprised.


----------



## win231 (Mar 11, 2021)

Anyone who uses syringes knows this could not be unintentional.


----------



## Irwin (Mar 11, 2021)

It was just a matter of time. There are plans for military personnel to start administering shots.

I guess we need to keep an eye on whoever's administering our shots, just to make sure they know what the hell they're doing. I usually look away when I get a shot, but not this time.


----------



## StarSong (Mar 11, 2021)

win231 said:


> Anyone who uses syringes knows this could not be unintentional.


I can't figure out how someone would do it accidentally or in error.


----------



## Murrmurr (Mar 11, 2021)

I don't think the syringes were empty. They were probably already prepared with a delivery fluid and someone didn't add the actual vaccine.


----------



## StarSong (Mar 11, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I don't think the syringes were empty. They were probably already prepared with a delivery fluid and someone didn't add the actual vaccine.


That would make a WHOLE LOT more sense!!!


----------



## Don M. (Mar 11, 2021)

Given the rush to administer these vaccines, and even giving them at places like grocery stores and Walmart, I'm surprised that there haven't been more reports of "accidents".  Hopefully, all these non-medical facilities are at least having registered nurses giving the shots.


----------



## RadishRose (Mar 11, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I don't think the syringes were empty. They were probably already prepared with a delivery fluid and someone didn't add the actual vaccine.


That makes better sense, Murr


----------



## Jules (Mar 11, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I don't think the syringes were empty. They were probably already prepared with a delivery fluid and someone didn't add the actual vaccine.


That makes sense.  How did they logic out later that this happened?


----------



## Irwin (Mar 11, 2021)

Don M. said:


> Given the rush to administer these vaccines, and even giving them at places like grocery stores and Walmart, I'm surprised that there haven't been more reports of "accidents".  Hopefully, all these non-medical facilities are at least having registered nurses giving the shots.


I don't think that's the case. There have been several reports that the military will be used to administer shots, though I don't know if that's been implemented yet. I think it's best to keep an eye on whoever's administering your shot, just in case. The biggest risk is that you don't get the full efficacy of the vaccine and aren't protected.


----------



## win231 (Mar 11, 2021)

Irwin said:


> I don't think that's the case. There have been several reports that the military will be used to administer shots, though I don't know if that's been implemented yet. I think it's best to keep an eye on whoever's administering your shot, just in case. The biggest risk is that you don't get the full efficacy of the vaccine and aren't protected.


"Keeping an eye on whoever's administering your shot" will tell you what they look like, but will tell you nothing about their qualifications or knowledge.


----------



## MarciKS (Mar 11, 2021)

StarSong said:


> That would make a WHOLE LOT more sense!!!


They actually mix them as they go. Someone sits & just mixes & fills the syringes while the others administer the vaccine.


----------



## StarSong (Mar 12, 2021)

MarciKS said:


> They actually mix them as they go. Someone sits & just mixes & fills the syringes while the others administer the vaccine.


Good to know.


----------



## MarciKS (Mar 12, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Good to know.


They don't come pre-mixed. They have to wait & put the liquifying agent in just before the shot is administered. Otherwise they can't store it like that.


----------



## fmdog44 (Mar 12, 2021)

I got my Pfizer shot yesterday and sitting at the desk with the person everyone was filling the syringes for every shot. It must have taken him nearly 60 seconds as he was being very careful to draw the exact amount from the ottle. I have never seen pre-dosed syringes for the COVID.


----------



## chic (Mar 12, 2021)

Sunny said:


> In fact, if the syringes contained nothing but air, I'm surprised they didn't kill anyone by injecting air into their bodies.


My thoughts too Sunny. Use a saline solution, but you can't inject air. But if the plunger was all the way down, how could someone not notice this.

Of course the vaccine is intramuscular right? If an air bubble was injected directly into a vein, that would result in immediate death, so this may explain why it hasn't. Vaccines I had in the past were injected into the muscle of my outer arm. This causes bruising and soreness, but even with just an empty jab it wouldn't kill.


----------



## fmdog44 (Mar 12, 2021)

Which vaccine is at Kroger? I still find it hard to believe syringes containing the vaccine are being manufactured.


----------

