Moderna Mixup Threatens Montco Second Dose Vaccine Appointments - Norristown, PA - "Surprised, furious, and disappointed," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said of the incident, which could further delay vaccines.
NORRISTOWNÂ â Effects of a statewide shortage of the second doses of Modernaâs COVID-19 vaccine have begun materializing in Pennsylvaniaâs third most populous county.
As Montgomery County health officials were informed that there wasnât enough to âcover 5,279 people scheduled for second doses next week,â Montgomery County Commissionersâ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said during a press briefing Feb. 17 that they plan to instead switch to the Pfizer vaccine, and begin distributing first doses on Feb. 23.
âI was surprised, furious and disappointed when I got this news, because we had been assured repeatedly that those second doses would be there for this, and as a consequence, we have been giving our first doses as quickly as possible,â Arkoosh said. âWe have not wasted any doses, and we did that under the promise that those second doses would be there for us. So this is extremely disappointing.â
NORRISTOWN â As Montgomery County officials announced the temporary closure of first dose COVID-19 vaccine clinics due to low supply and inclement weather, they also reported 175 daily new positive cases of the virus and 13 additional virus-related deaths on Wednesday.
The 175 new positive COVID-19 cases recorded on Wednesday brought the countyâs total number of positive cases to 45,541 since March 7, 2020, when the first two cases of the virus were identified in the county. Officials said 17 of the daily new cases were individuals who resided in long-term care facilities.
Officials also reported 13 more COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the countyâs death toll to 1,194 since the virus surfaced in the county last March.
UpdatedThu, Feb 18, 2021 at 3:12 pm ET
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A winter storm has arrived in the Philadelphia region, slowing travel and making roads hazardous. (Shutterstock)
PHILADELPHIA, PA Another winter storm has descended upon the Philadelphia region, and is expected to bring more than a half-foot of snow. It s the latest in a series of relentless winter weather events that have bombarded the region for several weeks.
Here are the latest details on the storm timing and forecast, as well as impacts from the storm:
A winter storm warning is in place through Friday morning. Snow is expected throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Snow will mix with sleet in the afternoon. The snow could be heavy at times, with 4 to 8 inches expected.