Winter Storm May Affect Bainbridge Vaccine Clinics

A powerful winter storm could delay this weekend's COVID-19 vaccine clinics. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the Seattle and Bremerton areas effective from 10 p.m. Friday evening until 4 p.m. Saturday. The warning is for heavy snow with accumulations of between 3 and 7 inches as well as wind gusts of up to 40 mph.If the vaccine clinics at the Senior Center have to be postponed, a message will be sent out via Nixle. (To register for Nixle alerts, text 98110 to 888777.) You can also visit the City's COVID page for updates. If they are postponed, the clinics will be rescheduled for early next week.The City does not yet know if more vaccine doses will be provided to the community for next week. Although Washington State asked for more than 440,000 doses of the vaccine, the federal government provided about 200,000 vaccines, including first and second doses, this week. The Washington State Department of Health reports that the federal government is promising an increase in Moderna and Pfizer vaccine allocations in upcoming months. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine may also become available soon.Remember: Be prepared if you have to be on the roads in the next 24-48 hours. Keep a blanket, flashlight, and food and water in your vehicle. In addition, prepare for power outages at home.