Winter weather affects COVID-19 vaccinations in central NC

Severe weather is the latest obstacle in North Carolina's vaccination efforts.

A Winter Storm Warning and Winter Weather Advisory is in place for numerous central and northern North Carolina counties until Friday morning.

In anticipation for the significant ice accumulations, some vaccination efforts are being canceled, delayed and rescheduled.

WAKE COUNTY

Wake County Health Department: Some cancellations

The Wake County Health Department announced Wednesday that it will cancel its large-scale COVID-19 vaccine event at PNC on Thursday because of the threat of winter weather. The event would have vaccinated more than 1,400 people. The county said anyone with appointments Thursday will now be scheduled to be vaccinated on Monday.

The county's vaccination clinics at the Wake County Commons Building and Sunnybrook facility are still scheduled.

The county is advising everyone to travel safely and if any patient with an appointment shows up late, they will not be turned away. If people wish to cancel or change their appointment, they can call the Vaccine Hotline: (919) 250-1515 or go to the appointment link emailed to them.

WakeMed: Delayed opening

• The COVID-19 clinic scheduled at the WakeMed Raleigh Campus (Andrews Center) will operate on a slight delay on Thursday. The clinic will open at 11 a.m. Anyone who had appointments scheduled before 11 will receive a call to reschedule.

• Additional updates on other unanticipated closings and delays will be posted on the WakeMed website: https://www.wakemed.org/patients-and-visitors/covid-19-information/covid-19-vaccine/

DURHAM COUNTY

Durham County Health Department: Postponed

• The department is postponing all vaccine appointments due to the weather. If an individual's appointment is affected, they will be contacted by the county.

• If anyone wishes to reschedule their appointment, they can call (919) 560-4357.

Duke Health: Delayed start

• Duke Health is rescheduling any appointments scheduled Thursday before 10 a.m.

• Anyone with appointments before 10 a.m. will be contacted directly to change their time. Officials said no appointments will be canceled.

• Officials said if anyone with an appointment Wednesday- Friday and is concerned about travel can call (919) 385-0429, option 2 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm, seven days a week)

• Duke said its staff is ready to reschedule anyone who feels they have a need and their sites have adjusted their schedules to accommodate the rescheduling of patients.

ORANGE COUNTY

UNC Health

UNC is canceling its vaccination clinics at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill and at the Hillsborough campus on Thursday. Patients will be contacted to reschedule appointments for Friday or Saturday.

Other UNC Health community vaccination clinics will be slightly delayed and start at 10 a.m.

Orange County Health Department: Closures

• The Orange County Health Department is closing its COVID-19 testing sites on Thursday.

• Vaccine clinics are not scheduled until Saturday so no changes are expected.

ALAMANCE COUNTY

The Alamance County Health Department: cancellations

• The health department canceled its COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday.

• The department is directly contacting anyone who had an appointment.

Severe winter weather across the U.S. is also causing delays in vaccine shipments.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention alerted North Carolina health officials of possible disruptions to vaccine deliveries this week.

Wake County Health Department officials said they received supplies this morning from Pfizer and are expecting doses this afternoon. WakeMed and Duke also reported receiving their doses this week.

The Orange County Health Department's shipment has been delayed due to weather. A spokesperson for the county said the delay will not impact this weekend's clinic as it already has those doses.

Durham County Health Department announced Wednesday evening it was cancelling all its first-dose appointments from Feb. 18 thru Feb. 24 due to shipping delays .The department said the delayed vaccine shipments should arrive by the Feb. 25. along with the following week's shipment.

Halifax County also reported a delay in shipments forcing the county to cancel appointments on Thursday.

"As soon as we receive vaccine, we will allow all who were scheduled to be prioritized for the first possible vaccination date. At present time, we do not know when we might receive vaccine," Bruce Robistow, Halifax's health director wrote in a press release on Wednesday.

At least 19 other states have delayed or canceled vaccinations.

South Carolina officials said delays at the shipping hubs of Memphis (FedEx) and Louisville (UPS) "may delay shipments coming to South Carolina and other southeastern states" today and tomorrow.

Both FedEx and UPS warned that deliveries across the U.S. will be impacted with potential delays.