Arizona adjusting state-run vaccine sites in April to combat heat
Mar 19, 2021, 1:58 PM | Updated: 4:32 pm
(AP Photo/Terry Tang)
(AP Photo/Terry Tang)
PHOENIX — Arizona is adjusting some of its state-run mass vaccination sites in April to combat rising temperatures, state health director Dr. Cara Christ announced Friday.
State Farm Stadium in Glendale, the state’s only 24/7 site, will pause operations at midnight on April 3 to move to an overnight site only beginning on April 4.
The site will give out vaccinations daily from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Christ said the state is still evaluating indoor options in the West Valley to account for daytime vaccinations but that total dose numbers shouldn’t be greatly affected.
“So what we anticipate is that we will still even overnight be able to do 8,000-9,000 vaccines even in those hours,” Christ said. “What we will do is have more appointments per hour but given the efficiency at State Farm it won’t reduce capacity significantly.”
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In the East Valley, the Chandler-Gilbert Community College site will cease operations at the end of the day April 3.
A new indoor site at a Mesa facility near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, about 10 miles east of the current site, will open April 5.
The state has already started scheduling second dose appointments at the new site, which will be able to provide 10,000 shots per day.
The Phoenix Municipal Stadium location will continue to operate at its normal hours of 7 a.m.-5 p.m. but change is expected soon.
Christ said the state is working with Arizona State University to find a new location to transition to in April.
The University of Arizona site in Tucson will also continue normal operations. The southern Arizona location could move indoors if needed, according to Christ.
