Colorado Springs clinic suspended from COVID vaccination program impacting 7,000 appointments

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A Colorado Springs clinic is currently unable to participate in the COVID vaccination program, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced late Friday night.

The organization in question is Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic in El Paso County. 11 News learned multiple people had their vaccine appointment at the clinic canceled unexpectedly on Friday. The suspension, according to CDPHE, is tied to irregularities in vaccine storage and handling. Dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic will not receive doses while the investigation continues. About 7,000 appointment scheduled through May 8 are impacted by the investigation. Everyone impacted should receive communication from the state.

El Paso County Public Health alerted the Joint Vaccine Task Force after an inspection of Dr. Moma Health and Wellness.

“The health and safety of all Coloradans is always the state’s top priority,” members with the Colorado State Joint Information Center wrote in a release. “According to the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS), the provider at this site has administered 3,933 vaccines. CDPHE is working to determine whether the provider has records to show that storage protocols have been consistently adhered to, or if this was an isolated incident. Health officials do not believe patients at this site have cause for concern but are in the process of determining whether those previously vaccinated at this location will need to re-initiate their vaccine series, as occasionally happens with similar occurrences involving other vaccines.”

On Sunday, a spokesperson for the El Paso County Health Department said the clinic had 150 vaccine doses in “pre-drawn syringes,” and they had to be thrown out due to temperature and storage issues.

The Colorado National Guard has since confiscated thousands of vaccine doses. They are being sent to the state’s lab for further investigation.

11 NEWS spoke with one woman who received both Pfizer vaccines at the clinic. She says she is frustrated.

“It’s devastating. We’ve been like literally counting down the days till we can get together with our family. And now like finding out that we’re two weeks away from that and it may not be?” Jessi Bowersox said. “I hope it was just a one-time thing that they just, you know, got overwhelmed because they had more people than they ever have had and they got overwhelmed.”

The clinic is located at 411 Lakewood Circle near Airport Road and S. Academy Boulevard. It is located inside the Satellite Hotel.

11 NEWS will be following up on this report in the coming days. We reached out to the Dr. Moma’s for comment, but the clinic does not have a voicemail system set up.

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