SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Two central Indiana COVID-19 vaccine patients are sharing advice after they said they were administered the wrong vaccine. It's prompted changes at vaccination sites including steps in place at the state's largest health care system servicing mass vaccination sites.
When vaccine candidates arrive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for example, they are given a letter indicating which vaccine. But one patient told 13News that didn't stop a nurse from making a huge mistake with her dosage.
Brittany Arnett was already hesitant about receiving the vaccine because, for one, she has a serious fear of needles. She also deals with health challenges that are most likely linked to genetics in her family tree.
Arnett said she drove to IMS on April 29, where her first contacts were soldiers with the Indiana National Guard.
"They asked me which shot I wanted, and I told them Pfizer and they gave me a red letter P to put in my windshield," Arnett said.
Then she was directed to a drive-up bay where her next contact was with health care workers overseeing the vaccinations. Arnett is one of the tens of thousands of people taking advantage of the convenient vaccination drive-thru. Her shot was given by an IU Health nurse.
"She asked me which arm I wanted the shot in and then she gave it to me in my left arm," Arnett said.
Arnett had already been given her proof of vaccination card and a date for her second shot. But it's what Arnett said happened with the nurse after the shot that concerned her, and now has her warning people to pay attention to what dosage they receive.
"When she came back with the Band-Aid, she said, 'I have to tell you something. I gave you the wrong shot. I gave you Johnson & Johnson,'" Arnett said.
Arnett said a nursing supervisor tried to comfort her about the mistake. The nurse reportedly even made statements about some of her own family receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccination.
But due to her health challenges, she's worried about blood clot-related issues and three deaths the CDC said might be linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Arnett said the supervisor used the metaphor of seeing a unicorn to the chances of dying from the wrong vaccine and then told her at least now she doesn't have to come back for a second shot.
Arnett told 13News she and her family followed up the next couple of days with phone calls to IU Health. They learned there were changes made at the IMS site to prevent a wrong vaccine situation again, according to Arnett.
"I have ulcerative colitis," Arnett said. "It's a chronic illness."
IU Health released the following statement when 13News reached out for a comment on Arnett's experience:
IU Health has a safety system in place that identifies which vaccine a patient receives. If a patient receives a different manufacturer's vaccine than they expected, they would be notified and given the opportunity to ask questions. The strength of this system of checks and balances is a key piece of our quality program."
Another case
In another part of Indiana, Darion Smith is trying to figure out how he ended up with the wrong vaccine.
'"I don't know where the mistake happened," Smith said.
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In 17-year-old Smith's case, he said a Wayne County health care worker gave him the wrong vaccine during his visit to the health department. Smith's mother set up the appointment for him to receive the Pfizer dose.
"I ended up receiving Moderna and I was supposed to get the Pfizer. You should ask questions to make sure you are getting the right one," Smith said.
Smith wanted vaccinated not only so he could spend more time with his grandmother, but also to worry less about being exposed to the virus at school. He is also anxious for life to return to normal as soon as possible for him and his friends.
Smith has since received his second shot. Although a mistake was made with his vaccination, he still encourages other young people to take the vaccine.
As for Arnett, even with the corrections now in place at mass vaccination sites like the track in Speedway, she still hopes she is the only one at that site to get wrong vaccine.
Making sure it doesn't happen to you
Indiana isn't the only state where this seems to have happened. In North Carolina, a 16-year-old was given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine instead of Pfizer.
So how can you keep it from happening to you?
- First, don't be afraid to ask questions. The vaccine is going into your body and you have a right to verify what it is.
- Ask to see the vaccine vial so you can double-check it.
- If it is your second dose, show them your vaccination card and make sure their information matches up with yours.