When 57 vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were found outside of a pharmacy refrigerator at Wisconsin's Aurora Medical Center-Grafton, hospital administrators first believed human error was to blame. A further investigation revealed the nearly 500 doses were left unrefrigerated intentionally.
The Moderna vaccines must be stored at temperatures between 36°and 42° Fahrenheit. Investigators have not released the name of the former employee nor have they speculated on a possible motive. More information is expected to come later today.
Wisconsin isn't the only state to run into temperature problems with the vaccine, though in Texas' case the reasons are far less nefarious. Three shipments of the Moderna vaccine were found to have not maintained a stable cooling temperature throughout the transit route. The affected doses were destroyed and replaced by the government, leading to a distribution delay of nearly a week.
