NORRISTOWNÂ â Effects of a statewide shortage of the second doses of Modernaâs COVID-19 vaccine have begun materializing in Pennsylvaniaâs third most populous county.
As Montgomery County health officials were informed that there wasnât enough to âcover 5,279 people scheduled for second doses next week,â Montgomery County Commissionersâ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said during a press briefing Feb. 17 that they plan to instead switch to the Pfizer vaccine, and begin distributing first doses on Feb. 23.
âI was surprised, furious and disappointed when I got this news, because we had been assured repeatedly that those second doses would be there for this, and as a consequence, we have been giving our first doses as quickly as possible,â Arkoosh said. âWe have not wasted any doses, and we did that under the promise that those second doses would be there for us. So this is extremely disappointing.â