The HSE has said a small cohort of people will need to be re-vaccinated as a precaution.
An incorrect formulation of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was administered to a number of people in the Aviva Vaccination Centre in Dublin last week.
The Times reports that 126 people were affected by the wrong mixture on 6 July, which saw distilled water used to dilute the vaccine dose instead of saline solution.
A statement made on behalf of HSE Community Healthcare East Chief Officer Martina Queally confirmed that “there was an incident concerning the reconstitution of vials of Pfizer vaccine at the Aviva Vaccination Centre on the morning of Tuesday, 6 July”.
It read: “Vaccinations were temporarily paused as a safety measure while the pharmacy addressed the issue and vaccination service resumed shortly after.
“A small cohort of people will need to be re-vaccinated as a precaution. The individuals concerned have been contacted by the HSE to have appointments arranged.”
Quizzed about the incident, HSE CEO Paul Reid said during a briefing on Thursday: “A smaller number of people in one vaccination centre where the saline mix, I think, may have been incorrect and they are being recalled back at this stage.
“We are, from all the information we have, confident that it is confined to a smaller number, smaller timeframe.
“That’s being worked through right now but yeah, it’s a smaller number. We’re confident it’s confined. It was in one vaccination centre.”
HSE National Director Covid Vaccination Programme lead Damien McCallion added: “The people involved were contacted and they were called back in.
“We’re confident from the review that was undertaken of it that it was a one-off issue in that centre.”
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