SOUTHFIELD, MI – A significant reduction in the allocation of Michigan’s Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine forced Beaumont Health to cancel 1,884 second dose appointments scheduled for February 18, the health system said on Monday.
The drop in distribution was unexpected, the health system said on Monday, and the team is working to automatically reschedule all canceled appointments for a week later, at the same time and on the same day of the week.
Appointments depend on the state providing sufficient vaccines, Beaumont staff said in a statement. In addition, the healthcare system will not be able to open further Pfizer first dose vaccine appointments at the Beaumont Service Center until the additional vaccine is received.
“We are very disappointed to have canceled these commitments. Our teams worked 24 hours a day and throughout the weekend with the state to try to guarantee the second dose of the vaccine we ordered, ”said Carolyn Wilson, Beaumont Health’s chief operating officer. “We remain committed to vaccinating patients as soon as possible as soon as we receive our allocated vaccine doses.”
RELATED: Beaumont Health changes visitation policy after the decline in the number of patients admitted to COVID-19
According to a press release, Beaumont is prepared to administer 50,000 doses per week, but this week it will make only 2,200, which is all the state has provided in its recent allocation. The health system has administered more than 100,000 doses since the vaccine was made available two months ago.
Beaumont says he is working diligently to get more vaccine from the state to provide the required second dose in a timely manner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the vaccine remains effective when patients receive the second dose up to six weeks after the first.
Beaumont says patients scheduled to receive their first dose of the Modern vaccine in Dearborn will not be affected by the cancellation.