Holy Name Vaccine Shipment Still Delayed

TEANECK, NJ — Shipping delays caused by winter weather have impacted New Jersey's supply of COVID-19 vaccines. This has been felt locally in Bergen County, but as some vaccination sites are getting back up to speed, others are left waiting.

Holy Name Medical Center is one of the latter.

Winter storms led to delays in shipping, causing canceled appointments and uncertainty on when they'll resume.

"Unfortunately, due to weather-related issues across the United States, and beyond anyone's control, shipments of critically important vaccines earmarked for our hospital, have been effectively grounded in different parts of the country. These issues, coupled with the latest storm affecting our own region, have combined to create a great deal of uncertainty around when additional shipments of vaccines will arrive," said President and CEO Michael Maron.

"As a result, we have had to postpone many vaccination appointments. I truly apologize for the current situation and would like to assure you all that we are doing everything in our power to make sure these much-needed vaccine doses arrive as quickly as possible."

The hospital has notified those with appointments, and will continue to update them as information becomes available.

Some second-dose appointments were canceled in the process, but Maron said hospital officials are confident they can be rescheduled "within an appropriate and acceptable timeframe."

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center — the hub run by the county — also faced delays, but appointments are set to resume this week. Read more: New Bridge COVID Vaccine Appointments Resume After Delays

"As a result of severe winter storms in the South and Midwest, Bergen County has been notified by the New Jersey Department of Health of delayed weekly vaccine shipments," said County Executive Jim Tedesco last week.

Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed that last 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. Read more: COVID-19 Vaccine Shipment To NJ Delayed, Gov. Murphy Confirms