After weather-related delivery delays, L.A. will resume vaccinations Tuesday

The city of Los Angeles will resume vaccination operations Tuesday, officials said, following several days of postponements and delays driven by inclement weather.

Several of the city’s large-scale sites, including Hansen Dam Recreation Area, San Fernando Park, Lincoln Park, Pierce College, Crenshaw Christian Center and Dodger Stadium, were forced to close Friday and Saturday when shipments containing at least 63,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines became mired by rain, ice and snow battering much of the country.

With 92,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine now en route to Los Angeles, the city will be able to resume operations and “meet its commitment” to provide second-dose appointments as well as a limited number of first-dose shots throughout the week, the city said in a statement.

Those who originally had appointments Friday and Saturday will be prioritized and should receive updated appointment details by late Monday. Residents who received their first dose at a city site between Jan. 24 and 30 will receive their second-dose appointment details by the end of the day Tuesday.

“Our city’s vaccination teams are ready to make up for lost time and get doses into people’s arms quickly, safely and equitably,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said Sunday.

The vast majority of shots are prioritized for second doses, according to the city. Roughly 3,750 first doses will be allocated for distribution at Pierce College. More first-dose appointments may become available if the city receives additional supplies.

Sites operated by Los Angeles County, including the Pomona Fairplex, the Forum in Inglewood, Cal State Northridge, the county Office of Education, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Balboa Sports Complex and El Sereno Recreation Center, were not impacted by the weather delays.

The delays also did not impact L.A.’s new mobile outreach initiative to bring vaccines directly into hard-hit communities, the city said, noting that mobile teams have already administered over 4,600 doses across sites in South and East L.A.

The announcement comes on the heels of a new state report that revealed wide racial disparities in vaccine distribution, with Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday saying the state has a responsibility to “do more” to balance distribution.

Each mobile clinic in Los Angeles has the capacity to vaccinate 200 people per day. Operations will expand this week to include two additional mobile teams, the city said, with the aim to administer up to 4,000 first doses across sites in Vermont Square, Pico-Union, Chinatown, Van Nuys and Boyle Heights.

“With new shipments comes a renewed sense of determination to vaccinate as many Angelenos as possible,” Garcetti said, “and move closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.”