Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
A low percentage of Iowa's COVID-19 vaccine supply has gone in the garbage, according to IDPH data provided to Axios.
By the numbers: About .05% of the state's vaccine supply has gone to waste, according to tracking data by IDPH.
- 216 of 410,771 doses have been unusable as of Feb. 11.
Needle or syringe malfunctions, dropped and broken vials, and storage issues contributed to wasted doses, said Sarah Ekstrand, spokesperson for IDPH.
State of play: Iowa has improved its vaccine distribution. About 11% of the state's population — 335,771 people — have received the first vaccine dose, which is near the national average, according to the New York Times.
This story first appeared in the Axios Des Moines newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard.