Wintry weather across the country has delayed shipments of COVID-19 vaccines, prompting some providers to reschedule appointments and leaving others wondering when the doses will arrive.
Winter storms glazed Northeast Pennsylvaniaâs streets with ice Monday night and left snow and frigid temperatures across the Midwest. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service is forecasting another storm expected to bring more heavy snow to the region on Thursday.
All that inclement weather is starting to take a toll on the COVID-19 vaccination supply chain.
âDue to the severe winter weather that has impacted much of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has notified several states, including Pennsylvania, that expected COVID vaccine shipments for this week will be delayed, â Geisinger spokesman Matt Mattei said.
Another local medical provider is offering an intravenous antibody therapy that may help COVID-19 patients avoid hospital stays and recover more quickly with fewer complications.
The Wright Center for Community Health is now operating a Scranton outpatient infusion clinic administering the monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab, which received emergency use authorization as a COVID-19 treatment in November.
âMonoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune systemâs ability to fight off harmful pathogens like viruses,â according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Developed by the pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Co., bamlanivimab is a monoclonal antibody specifically directed against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Itâs âdesigned to block the virusâ attachment and entry into human cells,â according to the FDA.
A review of state data shows that distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Luzerne County has decreased over the past two weeks, as supplies remain limited and thousands of residents who qualify to receive the vaccine are unable to register for appointments.
According to data released by the state Department of Health, doses of the vaccine distributed to providers in Luzerne County increased from 1,950 doses when distribution began the week of Dec. 14 to a high of 9,925 the week of Jan. 4. But the delivery numbers dipped to 6,100 the week of Jan. 25 and plummeted further to only 4,400 last week.
When vaccine distribution began in Luzerne County, only two providers â Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp. and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital â received vaccines. As of last week, there were 33 providers who received at least some doses.