UMC gets 1 of 2 storm-delayed vaccine shipments; 2nd dose shots now ready for some

UPDATE, Feb. 17: University Medical Center announced Wednesday night that it had now received one of two weather-delayed shipments of second doses of coronavirus vaccine.

That means some El Pasoans will now be able to received their second shots of the Pfizer vaccine, which arrived. The Moderna second-dose shipment, however has still not come in.

UMC issued this statement with the following information for those awaiting their second shots...

• "Our Pfizer vaccine for second dose has arrived. Your appointment date for your second dose of the Pfizer vaccine is on your CDC card. Please arrive at the same time as your first dose."
• "Our Moderna vaccine for second dose has not arrived. Do not show up until you have been scheduled by a UMC representative for your new date and time for the second dose of the Moderna vaccine."

ORIGINAL REPORT, Feb. 16: EL PASO, Texas -- The winter storm that hit the Borderland and a large swath of the nation is now responsible for a delay in coronavirus vaccine shipments to El Paso, officials said Tuesday.

University Medical Center said two shipments of vaccines for the hospital's vaccination hub at the El Paso County Coliseum have been delayed due to weather conditions.

UMC spokesman Ryan Mielke said the staff were "trying to reach out to people who had appointments today and tomorrow to let them know that their Pfizer and Moderna second dose appointments will have to be rescheduled."

Those people showing up at the vaccine hub site on Tuesday were being turned away as a result of the vaccines not arriving as scheduled.

The vaccine shipments are coming from Kalamazoo, Michigan and were supposed to arrive Monday night, but officials were told the transportation of the doses had been delayed.

Mielke said UMC was still waiting to hear when those vaccines will arrive and he couldn't immediately say how many doses would be in those two shipments.