'It's unacceptable': Several Calif. children sick after receiving wrong dose of COVID vaccine

As to going forward, Sutter Health says, "we immediately reviewed our processes to help make sure this doesn't happen again."

ByJ.R. Stone WLS logo
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Several Bay Area kids sick, received wrong dose of COVID vaccine
In the East Bay, parents are angry after several children got sick after reportedly being given wrong dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

ANTIOCH, California -- There is outrage among some parents in California's Bay Area as 14 children were given the wrong amount of COVID-19 vaccine this past Saturday.

At least two kids were given double the recommended dose at a Sutter Health pediatric vaccine clinic in Antioch, California, officials say.

"I'm here tonight to report my story because it's unacceptable; you expect your medical professionals to give you correct doses," parent Denise Iserloth said.

RELATED: Walgreens mistakenly injects 2 kids with adult COVID vaccine instead of flu shot, parents allege

Denise and her husband Shawn's eight and 11-year-old children were among the kids given the wrong amount of coronavirus vaccine.

"They absolutely failed my children and the other 12 children involved," Denise said.

Sutter Health issued a statement that 14 patients were given an incorrect amount of diluent, saying in part, "As soon as we learned of this, we contacted the parents and advised them of CDC guidance in this situation."

Denise says she was told, but that came nearly 10 hours later and after her older child fell down twice.

Q&A: What to know about COVID-19 vaccines for kids aged 5-11

Children ages 5-11 can now get Pfizer's pediatric COVID vaccine, one-third the dose of the adult vaccine, delivered in two shots, three weeks apart.

"We would have assumed that there was more in place to prevent this from happening, but obviously at this place there wasn't," Shawn Iserloth said.

"I understand the mandate, I tried to comply with it, and my children now have been given a double dose and I don't know the long-term side effects," Denise said.

The Iserloths, whose children were both home sick Monday with bad stomachaches, say their two children were given 20 micrograms of dosage instead of the recommended 10. They're now very concerned about any long-term effects, but Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of UCSF says the kids should be OK.

RELATED: California's top health official says if you want a COVID booster shot, 'absolutely' get one

"Headache, muscle aches, fever in some cases, chills, but they should go away in a day or two. So I would say hold tight, don't worry too much and that's all expected," Dr. Chin-Hong said.

Chin-Hong says during clinical trials, kids were given 10, 20, and the adult dose of 30 micrograms. He says negative effects in those higher doses were not seen.

As to going forward, Sutter Health says, "We immediately reviewed our processes to help make sure this doesn't happen again."

Still though, Denise and Shawn want details from Sutter Health as to how something like this could have happened.

"There has been nothing clarified as to how this happened to our children and the other 12 children involved and it is unacceptable and negligent, completely negligent on their part," Denise said.

Dr. Jimmy Hu, Chair of the Sutter Health COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and a pediatrician, issued this statement:

"This weekend 14 patients at our Antioch pediatric vaccine clinic received vaccines with an incorrect amount of diluent. As soon as we learned of this, we contacted the parents and advised them of CDC guidance in this situation. The safety of our patients is our top priority, and we immediately reviewed our processes to help make sure this doesn't happen again. According to the CDC, patients who receive vaccine with an incorrect diluent volume may experience more arm soreness, fatigue, headache, or a fever in response to the dose given."