More than 10 percent of New York City residents have received at least their initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but city and state officials are frustrated with a dwindling vaccine supply.
Tri-State residents have voiced frustration about the challenges of scheduling a vaccine appointment and the lengthy delays between scheduling the first dose and actually receiving it.
Meanwhile, local health officials are urging the federal government to direct more doses to the city, which they say is operating far below its capacity to administer the vaccine because of a lack of supply.
New York City's stock of the first dose of the vaccine dipped below 29,000 Wednesday, promoting Mayor de Blasio to warn that they might not be able to fulfill all remaining appointments that day. On Tuesday, Mount Sinai Health System canceled a number of appointments because of "sudden changes in vaccine supply," NBC New York reports.
"Every single time we're running into the same challenge," de Blasio said Wednesday. "We need supply. We need more vaccine so we can make a difference. Remember in the beginning? The mantra was, 'Testing, testing, testing.' Now it's, 'Supply. Supply. Supply.' We're going to run out."
Governor Andrew Cuomo visited the White House last Friday to lobby President Biden for more doses of the vaccine and for federal aid to help states recover COVID-related economic losses.
Inclement weather has also played a role in the stilted vaccine roll-out. Winter storms have dumped more than 2 feet of snow on parts of the Tri-State area this year, causing vaccine appointment postponements and vaccine shipment delays.
De Blasios said New York City was expecting a delay in its latest shipment of vaccines due to weather, adding that as many as 30,000 appointments may be held back.
Another major snowstorm is on the way to the area Thursday, which could add another 6 inches of snow to local totals.
Monmouth County in New Jersey postponed the scheduling of vaccine appointments Wednesday and Thursday due to shipment delays. State officials said more sites could be temporarily closed due to the coming snow storm.
More than 400,000 doses of the vaccine bound for Texas were delayed after winter storms knocked out power for more than 2 million homes and businesses.
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