A Person in S’pore National Eye Centre Received 5 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Due to Human Error

Not many people may agree with the expression “too much of a good thing”.

It’s used to refer to the fact that something which is enjoyable or beneficial can be detrimental if experienced too many times.

While it’s certainly not great for our bodies, most would find it hard to argue against having too much of Netflix, bubble tea, or meals at A&W.

But what about an excessive amount of vaccinations?

A Person in S’pore National Eye Centre Received 5 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Due to Human Error

Well that’s exactly what happened to an employee at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC).

The staff was administered the equivalent of five doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine due to a human error, according to the healthcare institution.

The incident occurred on 14 Jan, during a vaccination drive conducted at SNEC for its staff members.

Now, if we were getting our supply of logic from a five-year-old, we’d think that the more vaccinations, the better right?

If two doses make you immune to the coronavirus, five doses would make the coronavirus scared of even stepping within a 5km radius of your body. 

But of course, this isn’t how vaccinations work.

No Adverse Reactions or Side Effects

Fortunately for the affected employee, the error was discovered within minutes of the vaccination when the staff was resting in a designated area after vaccination.

“Senior doctors were alerted immediately and the staff was assessed and found to be well, with no adverse reaction or side effects”, SNEC said in a media release.

The employee was warded at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for observation as a precaution.

The staff’s condition remained stable and the employee was discharged two days later.

“We have been following up closely with the staff, who remains well,” said SNEC.

What Went Wrong?

As previously mentioned, the staff was given five doses of the vaccine due to human error.

Recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine only require two doses of the vaccine to develop immunity.

According to SNEC, the human error resulted from a lapse in communication among the vaccination team at the time.

“The staff in charge of diluting the vaccine had been called away to attend to other matters during the preparation of the vaccine, and a second staff member had mistaken the undiluted dose in the vial to be ready for administering”.

SNEC’s medical director Professor Wong Tien Yin, said the centre has conducted a “thorough review” of its internal processes and has taken steps to ensure that such lapses do not occur again.

“SNEC takes a very serious view of this incident. The safety of those receiving the vaccination during our staff vaccination exercise is of our utmost priority. We are extremely sorry that this incident happened,” he said.

“We have apologised to the staff concerned and the staff’s family. We will continue to monitor the staff’s health closely and provide the necessary support”.

Fortunately for the affected employee, receiving more than the recommended dose of the vaccine is unlikely to be harmful, according to the Ministry of Health.

Featured Image: Sergio Delle Vedove / Shutterstock.com