Los Angeles taking steps to expand vaccine access
LOS ANGELES - Over the weekend, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a series of steps to expand vaccine access among Angelenos, including extending hours to 8 p.m. at nine fixed city-run site and offering appointment-free access for a choice of any of the three approved vaccines.
"We can end this pandemic, restore public health, and rebuild our economy, but only if we can put vaccines within reach of every Angeleno, regardless of income, ZIP code, or neighborhood,'' said Garcetti on Sunday. "With expanded hours and growing eligibility, we are doing everything we can to reach residents who have yet to get vaccinated -- and make it as easy and safe as possible to deliver doses across our communities."
To get the vaccines into more arms, the city eliminated the appointment requirement and piloted evening hours earlier this month. After a 200% increase in demand for evening vaccinations over the last two weeks, hours will be extended until 8 p.m. at all of its permanent locations, with the exception of Dodger Stadium, which will remain open until 4 p.m.
All fixed sites will operate from Monday to Saturday, with the exception of Dodger Stadium, which will permanently close on Thursday. Most mobile locations will operate between Tuesday and Saturday from the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the exception of two night clinics at South L.A. Wetlands Park and Sylmar Recreation Center, which will run until 9 p.m.
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Residents who visit any fixed site with extended hours will be able to choose from any of the three vaccines currently available: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Pre-registration is not required, but those who wish to plan ahead can go online to sign up or find the locations.
City vaccination sites will have the capacity to administer roughly 250,000 doses to Angelenos across 10 permanent sites and each of the Mobile Outreach for Vaccine Equity (MOVE) clinics.
Equity remains a key focus of the city's vaccination program. The MOVE initiative delivers doses directly to neighborhoods most impacted by the pandemic, administering 111,719 so far. Beginning Monday, the city will deploy 10 mobile teams, serving residents in South L.A., East L.A. and parts of the Valley, including the neighborhoods of South Park, Chesterfield Square/Harvard Park, Vermont Vista, Watts, Boyle Heights, Wilmington, Van Nuys and Sylmar, among others.
City sites will offer second dose appointments this week for residents who received their first Moderna shot between April 19 and April 24 or their first Pfizer shot between April 26 and May 1. Second dose patients should have received notifications with their appointment details recently by text and/or email. Patients should note that the date stamped on the CDC vaccination cards received after their first dose is not an appointment confirmation. Instead, everyone should use the appointment details provided by Carbon Health.