#NYC halts 35K COVID vaccine appointments amid weather delays

The city is holding off on scheduling as many as 35,000 appointments for coronavirus vaccine first doses as winter storms hammering much of the country play havoc with shipments, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.

Hizzoner made the announcement as he again reported that New York city’s public and private health care systems have fewer than 30,000 first doses of coronavirus vaccine on hand — warning the city is again at risk of running out of shots for the week.

“There’s huge storms that are now causing delays in shipments,” he said.

“We, unfortunately, do expect vaccine to be delayed — shipments of vaccine that we were expecting by yesterday, today to be delayed. That means we’re going to hold back appointments that New Yorkers need.”

He estimated the number of slots that were not being made available as expected could number between 30,000 and 35,000 — or potentially more.

So far, city officials have dispensed 1.4 million shots — both first and second doses — of the vaccine.