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ARIZONA NEWS

Appointments at East Valley COVID-19 vaccine site gone in under 90 minutes

The first batch of appointments for the new state-run COVID-19 vaccination operation in Chandler were filled in about 90 minutes Monday morning.

Dignity Health previously ran the COVID-19 vaccination site at Chandler-Gilbert Community College f...

Dignity Health previously ran the COVID-19 vaccination site at Chandler-Gilbert Community College for Maricopa County. The Arizona Department of Health Services is taking over the operation starting March 3, 2021. (Facebook Photo/St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center)

(Facebook Photo/St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center)

PHOENIX – The first batch of appointments for the new state-run COVID-19 vaccination operation in Chandler were filled in about 90 minutes Monday morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Online registration for the Chandler-Gilbert Community College point of dispensing started at 9 a.m., and all the slots were claimed before 10:30 a.m., the department said.

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The site, which had previously been part of Maricopa County’s vaccine disbursal program, will start giving shots as a state-run operation on Wednesday.

It wasn’t clear how many appointments were available Monday and how many days were initially scheduled.

The East Valley site will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at first, but it can be ramped up to 24 hours a day if more vaccine supply becomes available.

The state now runs four mass vaccination sites, three in metro Phoenix and one in Tucson.

Only the State Farm Stadium site, which debuted in Glendale on Jan. 11, is offering 24/7 service so far.

The Arizona Department of Health Services launched its second site at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Feb. 1. The existing University of Arizona operation was then converted into a state-run site on Feb. 18.

The state-run sites were all booked as of Monday morning, but more appointments will be added when more vaccine becomes available.

For information about availability across the state, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page with a map of locations and information about registration.

The website also has an eligibility-checker tool that lets you know if you are cleared to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine.

At this time, people in phase 1A and the priority segment of 1B are eligible at Maricopa County points of dispensing and the state-run sites.

Eligibility can vary by county, so residents outside the Phoenix area should check with their local health departments.

Kevin Stone KTAR.com Senior Editor

Kevin Stone is KTAR's Senior Web Content Editor. He is a seasoned journalist who was born in New York and grew up in Phoenix. He got his start doing agate for the Mesa Tribune sports section in the 1990s while completing his print journalism degree.… Read more

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