The vaccination site at Chandler-Gilbert Community College will begin operating as a state-run location March 3, according to the ADHS.
“We’re committed to making the COVID-19 vaccine accessible to all Arizonans. Keeping this successful vaccination site open and operating is an important step,” Ducey said in a news release. “Arizona has called on the federal government to provide our state with more vaccine doses. As more supply becomes available, we’ll be ready to administer the vaccine and protect Arizonans.”
On Feb. 18, Maricopa County announced the upcoming closure of the Chandler-Gilbert Community College vaccination site, which has been one of the county’s busiest, according to the ADHS. Over the last three days, the ADHS has worked with partner organizations to develop a plan to keep the location open, according to the news release.
Dignity Health manages the site in collaboration with Maricopa County. Dignity Health will close its operations after Feb. 27, and the ADHS will reopen it four days later in partnership with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Maricopa County Community College District.
At full capacity, this site will have a similar capacity to State Farm Stadium at 12,000 vaccines per day and can be operated 24/7, according to the news release. Due to the limited amount of vaccine doses allocated to the state, this site will initially operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will continue to provide the Pfizer vaccine and will be available to provide second doses to individuals who received their first at the site.
Appointments for first and second doses will open for registration at 9 a.m. March 1.
“A region with well more than half of our state’s population will now have three state-run vaccination sites that position Arizona to vaccinate large numbers rapidly as vaccine supplies expand,” ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ said in a news release. “Arizona has proven that the state’s nationally recognized model for these vaccination sites is scalable and transferable to other locations. By combining state resources with the support of partners, we can continue getting more doses into the arms of Arizonans.”
The ADHS opened the 24/7 State Farm Stadium site Jan. 11 and opened the site at Arizona State University’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Feb. 1. On Feb. 18, the ADHS and the University of Arizona marked the conversion of a vaccination site in central Tucson into the first state site serving southern Arizona. Planning is also underway for state-operated sites in western and northern Arizona, according to the ADHS.
Information about all the vaccination sites across Arizona can be found at https://azhealth.gov/findvaccine. Those without computer access or who need extra help registering can call 844-542-8201 to be connected with an operator who can assist. The patient portal at https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov can be used to make an appointment for someone else in a prioritized group, such as someone age 65 and older.
To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination, visit https://azdhs.gov/COVID19Vaccines.
