Vaccine given by nurse to be tested

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A vial of a questionable flu vaccine a registered nurse gave to more than 100 people in Whatcom County grocery stores - and possibly an Everson church - will be flown to Cincinnati for weekend testing.

The Food and Drug Administration will test the vial at its Cincinnati laboratories to determine if it is a legitimate vaccine, said Lynden police Lt. John Billester. He expected results from the testing to be available Monday.

Billester said the vial provided to police by the nurse’s daughter was not expired. Officials are also tracking the vaccine’s lot number to determine when and where the doses were sold.

“The focus right now is on testing that vial,” he said. “Come Monday, we should have a lot more answers.”

The licensed, registered nurse, whom police will not identify, held flu shot clinics at Lynden and Blaine’s Cost Cutter grocery stores on Nov. 5, and at Lynden’s Food Pavilion on Nov. 13. She claimed to be from Visiting Nurse Personal Services and Pacific Coast Consultants and charged $30 for shots.

After a customer complained to grocery chain owner Brown & Cole Stores, the police and health department officials searched for the woman, who was found Thursday afternoon.

The woman has yet to be arrested or charged in connection with the flu shot clinics, but police continue to investigate the incidents.

Now there are suspicions the nurse also held a clinic at Everson’s Assembly of God Church on Nov. 8, said Erik Ramstead, Everson’s police chief.

Between 10 and 15 people received an injection from a woman matching the description of the nurse, Ramstead said. A woman known to the church allegedly set up the flu shot clinic.

“They really didn’t advertise for it,” Ramstead said. “They just threw up a sandwich board for it.”

Everson police were tipped off to the possible clinic Friday. Ramstead said he just wanted people to be aware of the situation.

As for now, Everson police are cooperating with Lynden police in their investigation into the incidents.

“We don’t want to go down the same road Lynden does,” Ramstead said. “We’re just asking if any stones can be turned over here to help their case.”

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