AZDHS: Extreme winter weather affecting COVID-19 vaccine delivery to Arizona

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Health Services says extreme winter weather in parts of the country is having an impact on COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to Arizona, delaying about 170,000 doses.

According to a statement released by Steve Elliott, some local health departments have told AZDHS officials that they have had to cancel appointments for the next two days because of weather-related delays.

Maricopa County has enough vaccines through the end of this week, but in other areas, like Pinal County, a mass vaccination site had to temporarily close because of the lack of vaccine.

FOX 10 has learned that officials in Santa Cruz County in Southern Arizona has moved all vaccine appointments for Feb. 17 to Feb. 20.

AZDHS says all vaccine sites in Maricopa and Pima counties have enough supply to maintain operations.

"At this time, there are enough Pfizer doses available for all sites, including state PODs in Maricopa County, to maintain operations without interruption," read a portion of the statement. "For other sites, the situation is fluid and will depend on each provider's current supply."

The federal government has allocated 85,800 Pfizer doses and 90,800 Moderna doses to Arizona which are expected to be delivered across the state this week.

Pinal County

Pinal County’s public health director says their new mass vaccination site at the Florence Library that just opened this week is now closed until further notice.

"We are able to vaccinate anywhere from 600-1,000 persons at that site daily. We did get another team through FEMA. We desperately need the vaccines to open that site again," says Tascha Spears, Pinal County public health director.

Pinal County also paused scheduling. So far, they haven't received word on where their vaccine shipment is and when it might arrive.

"We usually get it by Wednesday, so it’s concerning we don’t have a tracking number," Spears said.

Coconino County

Director for Coconino Health and Human Services Kim Musselman says several of the county’s vaccination sites have had to reschedule appointments as 1,800 first dose appointments have been delayed.

She says they are not canceling any second-dose appointments.

"It’s certainly an unfortunate situation and those people scheduled for their first dose appointments are going to be very disappointed and I am sorry about that," Musselman said.

Health officials say patients will be contacted directly by phone call, text or email over the next few days if their scheduled COVID-19 vaccine appointments must be delayed or canceled.