Biden pleased with ‘plus-one’ policy at State Farm Stadium vaccine site

PHOENIX — President Joe Biden on Monday expressed his appreciation for the policy of vaccinating caretakers or family members who drive a person to get vaccinated at the state-run site at State Farm Stadium.

During a virtual tour of the Glendale pod with Vice President Kamala Harris and Arizona Department of the Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ, Biden said he was “pleased and a little surprised” to hear about the policy.

Christ said the decision to vaccinate a “plus-one” is a clinical decision on-site that depends on vaccine supply and capacity to register an additional person.

“We know that people are in constant contact with family members and loved ones and the more we can do to surround them with vaccinated people … it just keeps people safer,” Christ said.

During a tour of the @StateFarmStdm vaccination site, @POTUS @JoeBiden asked about Arizona’s “+1 policy”, which offers vaccines to individuals accompanying someone with an appointment when vaccine resources permit. Watch: pic.twitter.com/km9i6O2Att

— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) February 8, 2021

The “plus-one” policy allows the state to keep up with its vaccine supply, Christ said, while the 24/7 nature of the State Farm Stadium site makes sure no dose goes expired or unused.

State Farm Stadium is one of two state-run pods, the other is at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and opened Feb. 1.

Christ during the tour announced a third state-run site would open in Pima County in the next couple of weeks, marking the first state-run pod outside of the Valley.

Those in the Phase 1A and prioritized Phase 1B groups are currently eligible to receive vaccinations at state-run sites.

This includes front line health care workers; emergency services workers; residents and staff at long-term care facilities; protective services workers; K-12, university, and community college educators; childcare workers; and adults 65 and older.

More than 861,000 vaccines have been administered across the state as of the state health department’s update on Saturday, with nearly 160,000 taking place at the state-run pods.

The site at State Farm Stadium reached its 100,000 dose on Jan. 30, less than three weeks after opening.

Christ said the Glendale site is averaging 8,000 to 9,000 vaccinations a day, but could do 12,000 with more vaccine supply.

Biden said Christ should expect a call from the NFL on how to operate a pod of this magnitude after the league offered Biden all of its stadiums for vaccination sites with the season concluding on Sunday.

“I think they’re going to be coming to you to see how you did it because you’re doing such a great job,” Biden said.

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