Fauci expects U.S. will make up weather-related vaccine delays as soon as the 'middle of the week'


Bad weather wreaked havoc across much of the United States last week, especially in Texas. The resulting power outages and water shortages proved to be serious consequences on their own, but, like everything else in the past year, the deadly storm did not occur outside the context of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and it led to a slowdown in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert told NBC's Chuck Todd on Sunday acknowledged the setback, but was optimistic it was only a temporary one. Indeed, 2 million of the 6 million doses that were delayed are already making their way to vaccination sites, Fauci said. He then predicted things will be back on track by the middle of the week.
Of course, delivery is just one aspect of distribution, but Houston, Texas, Mayor Sylvester Turner said vaccination sites were up and running again in his city, which was hit hard by the weather, on Saturday, and the major Federal Emergency Management Agency site will open Monday. He anticipates more than 100,000 people will get vaccinated in Texas' largest city this week. Tim O'Donnell
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
How China is battling the chikungunya virus
Under The Radar Thousands of cases of the debilitating disease have been found in the country
-
Deep thoughts: AI shows its math chops
Feature Google's Gemini is the first AI system to win gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad
-
Book reviews: 'Face With Tears of Joy: A Natural History of Emoji' and 'Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story'
Feature The surprising history of emojis and the brother duo who changed pop music
-
RFK Jr. shuts down mRNA vaccine funding at agency
Speed Read The decision canceled or modified 22 projects, primarily for work on vaccines and therapeutics for respiratory viruses
-
Measles cases surge to 33-year high
Speed Read The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy
-
Kennedy's vaccine panel signals skepticism, change
Speed Read RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory board intends to make changes to the decades-old US immunization system
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts