Winter storms delay vaccine shipments to Michigan, creating "significant backlog" of orders

LANSING, Mich. - The winter weather that's freezing much of the lower 48 has also disrupted vaccine shipments to Michigan.

The Nations First vaccines were loaded onto trucks on December 12, 2020 from Portage, MI.

The state health department was informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that winter storm conditions in Tennessee and Kentucky had delayed the transportation of COVID-19 vaccine supplies this week.

The CDC informed MDHHS late Wednesday that both Pfizer and Moderna shipments had gotten stuck in inclement weather.

A release from state police said the Pfizer vaccine shipment scheduled to depart the facility on Monday had gotten delayed, while the Moderna vaccine distribution center in Memphis had "every aspect" disrupted.

Air and ground transport as well as workforce resources were all impacted by the winter weather that swept through the Midwest this week. Moderna shipments scheduled to go out Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday instead stayed in the facility. 

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun asked that residents be patient. "Unfortunately, distribution of the vaccine in this circumstance is simply out of our control."

The CDC is working with the McKesson facility in Memphis to resume operations as soon as possible. The agency said it anticipates a "significant backlog of orders for distribution," promising that "every effort will be made to catch up as soon as possible."

The shipments will be rescheduled to distribution once the weather allows. 

 However, MDHHS doesn't know when more orders will be filled.