Kristyna Wentz-Graff / Photo of the pool via AP, Archive
PHOENIX – The extreme winter affecting much of the country delayed shipments of this week’s COVID-19 vaccine to Arizona, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Tuesday night.
The delay in shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine has resulted in some local health departments being forced to cancel appointments within the next two days, according to the state health department.
However, officials said there appears to be enough Pfizer vaccine for the three state vaccination sites and other sites that use it to continue operations without interruption.
The Maricopa County Health Department said KTAR News 92.3 FM is not canceling appointments, but will continue to evaluate supplies until Wednesday and coordinate with the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The state health department said it is in regular contact with federal and local partners to monitor the situation.
The number of vaccines ordered across the state is 1,395,300 in Tuesday’s update, with 79% used.
More than 1.2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered across the state.
President Joe Biden’s administration said the delays in shipping and vaccine deliveries were likely due to the winter storm that left millions without power in a record cold climate, while oppressing power grids and immobilizing the southern plains.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.