Prognosis
Massive Storms Stall U.S. Vaccine Campaign as Clinics Close
- Deep freeze stops shots as power dies and roads get dangerous
- A lucky break for college kids who lined up for expiring doses
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The storms that blanketed much of the U.S. in snow and ice paralyzed the Covid-19 vaccination campaign just as it had finally quickened, with communities unclear when the next doses will arrive and appointments canceled by the thousands.
In Chicago, all testing and vaccination sites were shut and health officials said they expected delays in vaccine shipments for a few days. Power outages created a crisis in Houston when a backup generator failed and threatened to spoil more than 8,000 doses of the Moderna Inc. vaccine. Rice University and other institutions used them to inoculate students to prevent the drug from going to waste. The storm’s effects even cascaded into parts of the country where few flakes fell at all.