GF health officials work to minimize vaccine waste

With fewer people lining up to get a shot the risk of tossing unused vials of COVID vaccine increases.  Grand Forks health officials say while it’s not a major problem they have seen an uptick in vaccine waste.  The department’s Haley Bruhn says the goal is still to use every shot in the bottle.  “Zero waste was a heavy emphasis when people were knocking down our doors to get vaccine.  We are wasting at this point which is a change in strategy because we want to be able to vaccinate anybody and not hold back puncturing a vial.”

According to the North Dakota Health Department over 300,700 residents have received at least one dose of vaccine – a coverage rate of 50.4%.

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The North Dakota Department of Health announced today (Thursday) that it has confirmed the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus.  The case occurred in an adult who was not hospitalized.

Early data is showing that (Pfizer, Moderna) vaccines are 88% effective against symptomatic infection and are highly effective in protecting against the delta variant.