LA County To Shutter Its 4 Large-Scale COVID Vaccination Super Sites
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – As demand continues to wane, officials announced Thursday that Los Angeles County will close its four large-scale COVID-19 vaccination sites this month, transitioning to smaller community-based sites instead.
The L.A. County Public Health Department reported that it will close California State University, Northridge site on June 7. Anyone would received a first dose at Cal State Northridge will be able to receive their second dose at the nearby Balboa Sports Complex.
Sunday, June 13, will mark the last day that the mass vaccination sites at The Forum in Inglewood, the Pomona Fairplex and the L.A. County Office of Education in Downey will be open.
"As vaccine demand has shifted and the county has significantly increased the number of sites served by mobile teams, Public Health will transition our four large capacity vaccination sites to smaller community sites," LACPHD said in a statement. "We remain committed on getting vaccine into neighborhoods where we can continue to reach people who may have limited ability or time to get to large vaccination sites."
Beginning on June 15, residents will be able to go instead to the following places to get a vaccine:
- Ted Watkins Memorial Park: 1335 E. 103rd St.
- Commerce Senior Citizens Center, 2555 Commerce Way
- Norwalk Arts & Sports Complex, 13000 Clarkdale Ave.
L.A.'s city-run large-scale sites have followed a similar trajectory. Dodger Stadium, at one time one of the largest coronavirus vaccination sites in the nation, closed last month. The city will close its Pierce College vaccination site on June 19, and its L.A. Southwest College site on June 26.
According to the latest numbers from L.A. County, 5.3 million Angelenos age 16 and older have received at least one dose, which translates to about 64% of the county's population. About 53% have received both doses.
L.A. County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday that the slowed pace of vaccinations means it will take the county until late August to reach the target of getting 80% of the population at least partially vaccinated.
"We're currently administering about 100,000 vaccinations to L.A. County residents each week, and have about 1.1 million more first doses to go before 80% of all L.A. County residents 16 and older have received at least one vaccine," Ferrer said in a virtual media briefing on Wednesday.
"If we keep vaccinating at the same rate we've been going for the past two weeks, it will take us until late August to reach this goal. And obviously we would like for this to happen sooner, so we're hoping with easier access and more opportunities to get questions answered about vaccine safety, we can increase the number of doses we're administering each week."
Beginning Friday and continuing until next Thursday, people age 18 and older who get vaccinated at any county- or city-run vaccination site, or at St. John's Well Child and Family Center sites, will be entered for a chance to win season tickets to the Dodgers or the L.A. Football Club. The contest is open to anyone receiving a first dose, or people receiving a second dose who bring another person with them to be vaccinated.
The state of California, meanwhile, is offering financial motivation to encourage people to get vaccinated. On Friday, the state will hold the first of two planned drawings, awarding $50,000 in cash to 15 people who have been vaccinated. A second drawing will be held June 11 to pick another 15 winners.
On June 15, the date the state is scheduled to lift the majority of its COVID-19 restrictions, the state will draw the names of 10 vaccinated residents, each of whom will receive $1.5 million.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
