Fort Meade continues to track down non-viable Moderna vaccine recipients, Saturday vaccines available

Colonel Tracy Michael, commander of the Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center at Fort G. Meade, along with the bases' garrison commander, Colonel Chris Nyland addressed concerns about about 800 doses of possibly ineffective COVID-19 vaccine that were applied on April 7 and April 12, during a virtual Town Hall, Thursday evening, April 22.

"We recently discovered 80 vials of the Moderna vaccine were stored outside the manufacturer's suggested temperature range for longer than 24 hours," Michael said. "It effected the viability of the vaccine. The recommendation is to repeat the dose. We sincerely regret this error has occurred."

Michael said they "knew exactly" the identities of those who had received the potentially ineffective doses of vaccine. But he also indicated that contacting them continued, and if they or the public knew of the recipients whereabouts, they could call a base hotline at 410-212-4086.

The 80 vials of possibly ineffective vaccine was used on upwards of 800 recipients at the McGill Training Center on base April 7 and April 12. No adverse reactions to potentially ineffective vaccines were known, Michael reported.

Colonel Nyland also addressed concerns that the base was exiting COVID-19 restrictions a lot slower than communities outside Fort Meade. He said this was a deliberate precaution.

The national security missions of those at the base were close in priority to the importance of public safety, he said, noting that the spread of the virus was actually more rapid recently than when many facilities had closed.

"We'll continue to open services as soon as it is safe to do so and the mission allows," he said. "On April 9 the case rate was 13 per 100,000 people. it was recently 21 per 100,000. Good is 5 (per 100,000 people.)

"The desire to put COVID(19) behind us is bringing the rate of transmission higher. I understand the frustration. My desire matches yours. Right now it doesn't allow us to safely open."

He confirmed work was beginning Monday April 26 on one of the tracks at Fort Meade and was expected to be completed by July. It wasn't clear yet when pools might be opened, and, for now, the bowling alley remained closed.

"We reassess the bowling alley every week," he said. 

This Saturday, April 24, there will be a special vaccination effort at McGill Training Center open to Department of Defense personnel and their families 16-years-old and above, by appointment only.

Appointments can be made by going to the Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center Facebook Page and accessing the appointment portal.

"We encourage you to take advantage," Michael said. 

Colonel Nyland, said there had been complaints from some on base that others had been lowering their guard regarding COVID-19 protective measures such as masks and social distancing, particularly on playgrounds.

He reminded viewers that for DOD personnel coronavirus protective measures were mandates from the Department of Defense, and not suggestions. He asked that Fort Meade residents remain vigilant in the fight against coronavirus.