Broward Health will be the second hospital to halt first-dose vaccinations due to low demand

Low vaccine demand has led another hospital to suspend COVID-19 first doses. Broward Health, the county’s public hospital, will transition to solely offering second doses by the end of the month.

Broward Health on Thursday announced it would be offering first doses through April 23 and then suspending administration.

After providing more than 100,000 vaccinations, the hospital said a low demand and the “extensive vaccination resources” available in South Florida have led it to making this decision.

“It has been our great privilege to serve our community these past months, and we are grateful for the numerous ways in which local businesses, public officials and you, our neighbors, have supported our efforts throughout the pandemic,” Broward Health said in a statement.

The move comes a day after Jackson Health System also said it would be halting first dose shots after April 30. Unlike Jackson, Broward Health did not say when or if it will stop administering second dose shots.

In Broward County, there has been a steady decline in those who received their first dose of a two-dose vaccine series — going from 13,964 first shots on April 13 to 3,208 on Tuesday, according to Florida Department of Health data.

The drop-off is in line with the stoppage of Johnson & Johnson vaccine administrations nationwide on April 13.