Winter Weather Delaying Winona’s Vaccine Shipments

(KWNO)- An intense winter weather pattern that’s gripping the bulk of the country is delaying vaccine shipments bound for Winona.  

Winona County Public Health Supervisor Melanie Tatge said the county was planning on holding a closed vaccine clinic this week. She said if the shipment comes in Wednesday, the county will hold the clinic on Thursday.   

Tatge said the county is anticipating 200 doses to come in that would be allocated for Pre-k through 12 educators and childcare providers. She says the county will notify eligible residents of the clinic if they get the doses.  

In an email to KWNO, Winona Health President/CEO Rachelle Schultz wrote “all shipments are delayed due to weather.  We have tentatively moved our vaccination clinic day to Saturday.  Hopefully, with the break in the weather, they will get shipments out.  However, there is no guarantee. In the event it turns into next week (and we anticipate an allotment for next week as well) we will plan for a larger mass vaccination clinic and will be talking with our local collaborators about how we might want to approach that.” 

Winona Health was planning to distribute 600 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to residents ages 75 and older and residents with chronic conditions who are ages 65 and older during a closed clinic on Thursday.