Hidalgo County will begin prioritizing second dose inoculations of the COVID-19 vaccine after state officials announced the shipment of additional doses of the vaccine would be discontinued for this week because of the weather.

In a Wednesday news release, the county announced it will now focus on second dose inoculations of the vaccine scheduled for this week.

“Once again, we are facing a new challenge in what has been some very challenging times,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said in a Wednesday news release. “But we will get through this…We will eventually have vaccines available to everyone who wants them.”

The state distributes vaccines and had begun providing several thousand doses to the county for first dose vaccinations, according to the news release. Typically, an equal amount of vaccines to be used for second dosages are provided but several factors such as dangerous road conditions and the closing of key airports because of the weather has affected the distribution chain.

Private providers such as area hospitals are also supplied by the state, but it is unknown how this is affecting their supplies, the news release stated.

“Hidalgo County is scheduled to complete some of the 1st dose point of distributions and has committed to complete all the 2nd dose point of distributions and only offer 2nd doses at our County Clinics the rest of this week,” the news release stated.

Next week’s vaccine allocations have currently not been finalized with the state, the release stated.