Arizona reports 1,143 virus cases, 213 deaths; shots delayed
PHOENIX - Arizona on Feb. 18 reported 1,143 additional COVID-19 cases and 213 deaths while health officials in some areas said bad weather delayed vaccination deliveries, causing cancellations and rescheduling of some appointments.
The latest figures released by the Department of Health Services increased Arizona’s pandemic totals to 802,198 cases and 15,276 deaths.
Arizona continued to see declines in COVID-19 hospitalizations and seven-day rolling averages of confirmed cases and deaths, according to data from the state’s coronavirus dashboard and The COVID Tracking Project.
Vaccine delivery delays affecting some appointments
While officials in Arizona say they are expecting to get the next shipment of the Pfizer vaccine on time, deliveries of the Moderna vaccine are being held up.
State officials say at this time, there is no arrival date for the Moderna vaccine due to weather delays. That means counties across the state, including Maricopa County, are scrambling to keep their Modena appointments.
Vaccine shipping delays are already causing some appointments to be moved. Prescott-based Yavapai Regional Medical Center moved Wednesday afternoon vaccination appointments to Feb. 24, Yavapai County health officials said in a statement. "This is a very fluid situation that may change by the hour."
In Tucson, Pima County health officials said approximately 2,800 vaccination appointments from either Wednesday or Thursday through Saturday at Tucson Medical Center, Tucson Convention Center and Banner South could be postponed "if new supplies do not arrive in the next few days."
Coconino County health officials on Wednesday canceled and planned to reschedule first-dose appointments for an estimated 1,800 people scheduled for Thursday and Friday at several locations in Flagstaff.
In addition, FOX 10 has learned on Feb 16 that officials in Santa Cruz County have moved all vaccine appointments for Feb. 17 to Feb. 20.
In Maricopa County, officials say sites that use the Pfizer vaccines are still running on schedule.
"We did some shifting to make sure that all the appointments will be honored, and that’s at State Farm, municipal, and the county-run PODs," said Maricopa County Health Director Marcy Flanagan.
County health officials say they are reaching their goals of vaccinating teachers and 65 and older groups, and they promise to reach out to underserved economic and racial groups, in the coming weeks, taking the vaccine to them.
"Setting up target events is the best way to reach these populations, and not necessarily to these large events, and we acknowledge that, and that’s why we’re working with his partners to make the sides happen in those communities," said Flanagan.
The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.
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