More than 82 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which has spread across the country, have gone to waste since the pandemic began, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: Vaccine waste was a constant concern during the pandemic, which highlighted concerns about the effectiveness of vaccine implementation.
- The latest figures represent a big jump since the end of February, when it is estimated that approximately 65 million doses have been wasted according to the AP.
The overall picture: The new estimate of 82 million means that between December 2020 and mid-May, just over 11% of the doses distributed by the federal government were discarded, NBC News reported.
- CVS and Walmart, two pharmacy chains that have worked to administer vaccines against COVID-19, together account for more than 25% of the doses that go to waste.
- Other pharmacies – including Rite Aid and Costco – and dialysis centers each waste more than a quarter of the doses they receive, according to NBC News.
- Among the states, Oklahoma discarded about 28% of the doses received, while Alaska discarded almost 27% of its doses.
Game status: The vaccine is available in multi-dose vials, but their short shelf life means that after opening the vial, if not used quickly, it will need to be discarded.
- The World Health Organization estimates that large-scale vaccination campaigns using multi-dose vials will lead to significant levels of waste.
- According to the CDC, less than half of fully vaccinated adults in the United States have received their first booster vaccine.
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