Storm-related power outages disrupt family doctors' work, spoil vaccines

Three days after a powerful storm hit Latvia on Saturday evening, parts of the country still lack electricity, with around 11,000 customers affected. The outages have also disrupted family doctor practices, where refrigerated vaccines in several locations had to be written off after storage temperatures were breached.

The National Health Service (NVD) says some medical facilities may have limited service availability and advises residents to contact a clinic in advance before visiting, where possible. If contact isn't possible, people can turn to their local municipality, which is collecting information on power outages in the area. Outage information is also available on the website of grid operator Sadales tīkls.

Full extent of vaccine losses still unclear

The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says some vaccination sites have already written off damaged vaccines, but the process is only in its early stages, so the total scale of losses cannot yet be determined. In Varakļāni, for instance, where power was cut for more than 24 hours, one family doctor's practice had to dispose of about 40 doses of vaccines intended for children, adults and pregnant women, after the refrigerator temperature reached 12 degrees Celsius — well above the required range of two to six degrees.

The Latvian Association of Family Physicians acknowledges that practices were not prepared for outages of this scale and that many more could suffer similar losses in a comparable situation. Some of the affected vaccines were state-funded, while others were purchased by doctors themselves. A representative of the State Agency of Medicines said losses on privately purchased vaccines are not compensated, and that medical facilities must ensure proper storage conditions themselves, including considering backup power options. At the same time, family doctors note that installing generators or other backup solutions isn't always feasible, pointing to the need for a systemic solution to protect vaccines during prolonged power outages.