Coronavirus Vaccine Shipments To NYC Delayed Until Sunday

New York City NY

18 February, 2021

3:45 PM

Description

NEW YORK CITY — A weekly resupply of coronavirus vaccine to New York City will be delayed until Sunday thanks to harsh winter weather lashing the nation. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the setback Thursday and said it would delay plans to open a Queens vaccination site. The postponement is only the latest in a long string of vaccine supply woes. "It's been too hand-to-mouth in general, and then it's been made even worse by the storm," de Blasio said. The city normally receives its COVID-19 vaccine resupply on Tuesday or Wednesday, de Blasio said. But even that falls far short of demand within the city. Vaccination sites in the city are capable of doling out 500,000 shots a week, but the weekly resupply only brings in slightly more than 100,000 doses. The shortfalls have resulted in temporary closures of vaccination hubs and rescheduled appointments. De Blasio on Wednesday warned the city only had 30,000 doses on hand and would have to hold off scheduling at least as many appointments. He said Thursday that officials managed to shift some doses around to ensure that a new vaccination site at Empire Outlets in Staten Island can open as planned on Friday. The city has so far administered 1.4 million doses of coronavirus vaccines.