Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare is recommending 953 patients receive second vaccinations or tuberculosis tests because initial vaccines and tests may be ineffective, according to a Hartford Courant report.
"Some vaccines and tuberculosis tests provided at several Hartford HealthCare Medical Group offices may be less effective after having been exposed to fluctuating temperatures," the medical group said in a release.
The vaccines at issue, found in an auditing program for all locations that provide vaccinations, made up 1 percent of vaccines Hartford HealthCare provided.
The affected patients received tuberculosis tests and vaccinations for the flu, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, pneumococcal, hepatitis B and meningococcal disease at several locations. The exposure to fluctuating temperatures may have reduced the vaccines' effectiveness, the medical group said. On Tuesday, Hartford HealthCare began contacting affected patients, who can receive a free second vaccine or tuberculosis test.
Last week, the medical group began monitoring temperatures at all office locations using a Google app that will send real-time alerts if a temperature variance is found, said Jack Ross, MD, Hartford HealthCare's chief of infectious diseases.