The Tri-Cities Mass Vaccination site at the Benton-Franklin Fairgrounds has been shut down due to a vaccine delay and inclement weather.

According to a release from the Washington State Department of Health:

Winter storms are causing vaccine shipment delays across the nation. DOH estimates more than 90% of this week’s allocation will arrive late due to weather out east. Moderna vaccines have not shipped yet this week. Pfizer vaccines did not ship Monday, and only a limited number of vaccine shipments were processed Tuesday and Wednesday. These shipment delays may force providers to reschedule appointments. If you have a vaccine appointment this week, please contact your provider for an update.

Due to the delivery delays, the state-led mass vaccinations sites in Kennewick and Spokane will be closed through the weekend. Those with appointments will be contacted by email to reschedule their appointments for next week. The Ridgefield mass vaccination site will also be closed Saturday. No appointments were made for Saturday, so no one will need to reschedule an appointment.

In the next week, Washington is expected to receive more vaccine through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Three more pharmacies will be added. Walmart, Rite Aid, and Kroger (Fred Meyer and QFC).

From the Benton Franklin Health District Facebook Page:

The DOH COMMUNITY VACCINATION SITE (Benton Co. Fairgrounds) CLOSES THE REST OF THE WEEK DUE TO DELAY ON VACCINE DELIVERY.
Those who made appointments for their second Pfizer vaccine this week will be contacted by email to reschedule their appointments for next week. They will receive a private link to book an appointment time at PrepMod.

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LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

Here are some tips for self-care during the pandemic:

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