Winter storm complicates vaccine rollout across northeast by John Bowden | February 1, 2021
Winter storm complicates vaccine rollout across northeast
A winter mix of snow and ice across the northeastern U.S. is hampering the region's efforts to manage the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine and other public health efforts.
a large truck covered in snow: Winter storm complicates vaccine rollout across northeast© Getty Images Winter storm complicates vaccine rollout across northeast
WUSA 9 reported that officials in Maryland's Montgomery County and Prince George's County were forced to reschedule hundreds of vaccination appointments due to snowy weather, while Prince William County officials tweeted that COVID-19 testing had been suspended for the day.
https://twitter.com/pwcgov/status/1356016005479280642? ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E135601600547928 0642%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fpol icy%2Fhealthcare%2Fpublic-global-health%2F536731-winter-storm- complicates-vaccine-rollout-across
New Jersey closed all six of its state-run vaccination mega clinics on Monday in response to the storm, and a handful of other clinics were closed across the state as well with officials projecting as much as two feet of snow in some parts of the state.
In Philadelphia, snowy conditions forced the closure of city-run COVID-19 testing sites on Monday, according to news affiliate WHYY, though the state's vaccine clinic remained open. Montgomery County, Pa., officials closed one vaccination site on Monday and were prepared to close Tuesday as well should conditions endure.
New York City officials also halted vaccinations on Monday, with Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) saying he wanted to keep older New Yorkers off the roads in the cold weather and dangerous driving conditions.
Officials in Boston warned that the storm could hamper the opening of the state's second mega-clinic at Fenway Park, while one vaccination clinic at the Reggie Lewis Center closed. Rhode Island health officials said that vaccination clinics in three towns would close for the day as well, according to NBC Boston.
In Connecticut, officials warned that the storm could exacerbate existing shortages, which forced one clinic to cancel vaccination appointments this week before the storm hit.
More than 29 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to patients across the U.S. so far, according to an NPR tracker, which is just over 7 percent of the total U.S. population.
President Biden, who was sworn in less than two weeks ago, pledged to vaccinate 100 million Americans within the first 100 days of his administration, a goal the U.S. currently looks to be on track to achieve.
Poster Comment:
My crazy Mormon neighbor called me about 15 minutes ago telling me I had better get over to the Health Department so they can stick me wiih the Covid vaccine. I told her I likely have already had the Covid. Don't vax me, bro. ;)