Firefighters, residents get wrong flu shot in Needham

NEEDHAM, Mass. -- Sixteen first responders were among 47 people in Needham who thought they were getting the H1N1 vaccine, but instead received the vaccine for the seasonal flu. 

When town officials realized there was a problem, they were quick to notify state health officials and all 47 people who received the incorrect shot.

"We know that. We saw it. We found it. We have taken every corrective action that we can, and we've tried to lay a better plan that it won't ever happen again," said Needham Health Department Director Janice Berns.

In all, 16 firefighters and 31 other town residents received the incorrect shot.

"I think it was a combination of issues, one being the labeling being extremely poor, look at them side by side and their exactly the same, same color and there was no real guidance from the state DPH. I'm not saying it was their fault but if they knew there was potentional problems, we should have been notified because we have people trained to administer it as  well as the nurses at the Health Department," said Chief Paul Buckley, of the Needham Fire Department. 

Having both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots is actually good according to Dr. Peter Greenspan, from Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners Healthcare.

"We often give both shots on the same day and it's not an issue at all. So the fact that they gave one that they were not expecting is not a problem, it just means they are now immune to the seasonal and need to come back for the H1N1. They could have both the same day," said Dr. Greenspan, a member of the 7News Flu team.

According to Chief Buckley, nine of the 16 firefighters who received the wrong shot were given the right one Monday morning. Most of the other people who received the wrong shot have already signed up to receive a new one.

(Copyright (c) 2009 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)