Southern California Coronavirus Vaccination Super Sites Causing Confusion
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Coronavirus vaccine super sites are opening across Southern California, but many are unclear if they are eligible for the vaccine yet, as ICU beds are still at zero percent capacity for the region.
Dodger Stadium will open a vaccination super site Friday. City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said it will eventually be the largest site in the United States.
"When it's fully up and running we will see as many as 12,000 people come through there to receive their first dose then later the second dose of the vaccine," said Garcetti.
Right now, appointments are only for healthcare workers. The site will start vaccinating residents age 65 and older in the coming weeks.
"I would feel safer having it, but I'm not going to go to the malls or go to the market because I have the vaccine," said Esther Cohen, an L.A. resident.
Long Beach, which has its own health department, will start to vaccinate people age 65 and over Saturday.
Meanwhile, Riverside County started vaccinating people 65 and over Thursday.
Thursday, Riverside County health officials reported 2,880 newly confirmed cases and 92 additional fatalities, bringing countywide totals to 233,480 cases and 2,399 deaths. Of those who contracted the illness, 150,726 had recovered.
Some private mortuaries are so packed families have to wait weeks to have a funeral for their loved ones.
About 3,000 people were vaccinated Thursday at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.
Tuesday, O.C. Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau announced that anyone age 65 or older will now be eligible to get vaccinated. That's in addition to healthcare workers, emergency responders, and residents of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.
"The people in the ICU on ventilators are typically the 50-and-over crowd, and it definitely skews more to the 65 and older crowd," Dr. Jim Keany with Mission Hospital Mission Viejo told CBSLA Tuesday. "As we continue to get vaccines, let's start lowering the requirements and just get through the population as fast as we can."
To find out if you are eligible and to make an appointment, click here.
