Publix not scheduling vaccine appointments in Florida due to weather delays

COVID-19 vaccine shipments remain on hold as winter weather grips much of the U.S. forcing Publix to suspend scheduling new appointments for first dose vaccinations.

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The grocery store chain announced the extended suspension Thursday in a news release. The company first said on Tuesday that it would not open its appointment portal Wednesday, without saying whether it would reopen as planned later in the week.

The grocer said that second-dose appointments are not being affected. The company plans to resume scheduling appointments at publix.com/covidvaccine when it receives its allotment of vaccines. Publix was opening its online appointment portal at 7 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Florida was still waiting to receive more than 200,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Florida Division of Emergency Management originally said those doses of Moderna vaccine were expected to arrive Thursday.