COVID-19 Vaccine Shipment To NJ Delayed, Gov. Murphy Confirms

NEW JERSEY - One impact of this relentless winter weather pattern gripping the Garden State is a break in the supply chain for the COVID-19 vaccine, which will force some appointments to be rescheduled, Gov. Phil Murphy said on Friday.

Murphy confirmed that this week’s vaccine-dose delivery did not make it to New Jersey on time because planes at major hubs for both FedEx and UPS have been grounded due to the weather.

Murphy, speaking during his Friday news conference, said that his administration was working with all New Jersey vaccination sites to make sure they use the existing inventory to satisfy their current appointments. But he acknowledged that will not be enough.

"Not all sites have the inventory on-hand to be able to satisfy current appointments, and this will result in many appointments needing to be rescheduled," he said.

Read more: NJ Weather: New Winter Weather Advisory In All 21 Counties

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said New Jersey didn't get the approximately 230,000 doses – for both first and second shots – that the state was supposed to get this week.

She said the state is working with federal partners to make sure vaccines are delivered to mega-sites, particularly Pfizer doses. Those sites were supposed to get the doses this past Monday, but now she's hoping they arrive by Saturday.

Persichilli urged "patience" and reiterated that New Jersey is working to address the problem.

At least two major sites said they've had to delay appointments because of the weather-related delivery delays. Here are two:

• New Bridge Vaccine Appointments Canceled Due To Shipping Delays
• More Appointment Cancellations At 2 Monmouth Co. Vaccine Sites

Using the earlier nor'easter as an indicator, Murphy said he was confident the state would be able to catch up on doses rather quickly once the supply is received.

"We have directed our sites to prepare to ramp up operations and extend hours to efficiently manage this delay once their doses do arrive," he said.

Murphy reiterated that everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be vaccinated, but not as fast as they had originally hoped.

"The doses we have been allocated will eventually be delivered," he said. "We simply ask everyone for a little patience considering the latest kink Mother Nature has thrown into the works – here and nationally."

CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, the incorrect term was used to describe what kinds of vaccination doses did not arrive on time. Doses for the first and second shots did not arrive to New Jersey because of the weather.

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.