Clark County gets delayed vaccine, allowing 1st doses to flow again

By Alexis Ford and Blake Apgar Las Vegas Review-Journal

4 years ago

RN Dawn Schuder prepares another dose of the Moderna vaccine at the Southern Nevada Health Dist ... — RN Dawn Schuder prepares another dose of the Moderna vaccine at the Southern Nevada Health District’s COVID-19 Second Dose Clinic site within the Las Vegas Convention Center during a preview on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Paramedic Craig Johnson draws a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in preparation for Guardian Elite Medical Services vaccine clinic on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Las Vegas. The ambulance company offered the shots for their workforce. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt

Thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses delayed by severe weather last week were delivered to the Southern Nevada Health District on Monday morning, allowing the agency to resume administering first doses by midweek.

The district had planned to offer second-dose appointments only this week. But the delivery and another due later in the week enabled officials to speed up the resumption of first shots of the potentially life-saving vaccine.

Limited appointments will be available at Cashman Center this Wednesday and Saturday for anyone eligible, the statement said. Appointments can be scheduled on the Health District’s website or via the COVID-19 helpline at 1-800-401-0946.

Earlier, Gov. Steve Sisolak said on Twitter that more than 46,000 doses of vaccine meant for Nevada had been delayed by the storms across much of the country.

The governor said that the state immunization team at the Department of Health and Human Services has worked with federal and local officials to keep track of the doses.

“When we weren’t sure of how/when doses would get to NV, we spoke to some of our great private partners who immediately offered resources to assist — including the use of private planes,” Sisolak posted on Twitter on Monday.

The governor said if that measure had been necessary and was approved by federal officials, Nevada was ready to send the planes to pick up additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Ultimately, the state did not need the help, Sisolak said.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter. Review Journal staff writer Alexis Ford contributed to this report.