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(Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gives an update on vaccines at his Tuesday press conference, above)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW)– The Ohio Department of Health is investigating after 890 COVID-19 vaccines went to waste.

The health department said SpecialtyRX, a vaccine provider in Columbus, was given 1,500 vacines for residents at eight long-term care facilities.

“After administering the first doses, SpecialtyRX had 890 doses remaining. The company was exploring a transfer of the doses to another provider when it was discovered that they had failed to appropriately monitor temperatures in their refrigerator and freezer,” the Ohio Department of Health said.

The ODH immunization program investigated and found 890 doses of the Moderna vaccine were no longer viable because they were not stored properly, according to the health department.

“The first doses of the Moderna vaccine that were administered to the residents and staff of the long-term care facilities were viable. For the second dose, the long term care facilities will have to coordinate with another provider which will likely be the local health department,” ODH said on Wednesday.

The state health department said it is halting further allocations of the vaccine to SpecialtyRX

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