California will open COVID-19 community vaccination sites in Oakland and Los Angeles later this February as part of a pilot project with the Biden-Harris administration.
The pilot sites will be located at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum and California State University, Los Angeles as part of the new administration’s pledge to establish 100 vaccination sites nationwide as part of the first 100 days in office.
The sites will be co-run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State of California through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
“In the fight against COVID-19, partnership is key, especially when it comes to reaching Californians in underserved areas,” said Newsom. “These new sites will help us get available supply to some of the California communities most in need. I thank the Biden Administration for standing with us as we continue our efforts to safely, swiftly and equitably vaccinate all Californians.”
“Both of these sites are perfect examples of how FEMA is working around the clock to support state led, federally supported vaccine delivery,” said Acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton. “Today’s announcement is a significant step forward in the ongoing effort to ensure every American who wants a vaccine will receive a vaccine.”
FEMA will provide resources and federal staffing support to establish these new community vaccination centers as well as operational support.
The two locations chosen for these efforts are in some of the most diverse and socioeconomically challenged communities in the country. They are also communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and are home to essential workers who have borne the brunt of keeping the economy open over the past year.
The goal of establishing these joint federal pilot sites is to continue to expand the rate of vaccinations in California in an efficient, effective and equitable manner, with an explicit focus on making sure that communities with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection are not left behind.
In order to expand the reach of these state-federal sites further into the communities, each of these new sites will be paired with two mobile vaccination clinics which can be deployed to multiple locations to amplify and provide distribution to areas that otherwise lack sufficient support.
Preparations and buildout of these two locations are now underway and the sites are expected to be open to eligible members of the public beginning February 16. Registration for vaccine appointments at these two sites will be available through the state’s MyTurn scheduling system in the coming days.
The State of California is coordinating closely with FEMA to ensure the vaccine doses used at these sites will not decrease the available supply for other sites in the hosting counties. (AJPress)
