Arizona’s largest COVID-19 vaccine site moving indoors to Gila River Arena

PHOENIX – The state-run COVID-19 mass vaccination site in Glendale is moving across the street and indoors to Gila River Arena later this month, officials announced Friday.

The last shot at the State Farm Stadium parking lot, which was transformed into the Arizona’s largest vaccination site in January, will be administered on the morning of April 23, according to a press release. That same day, neighboring Gila River Arena will open its doors for vaccine dispensing.

The air-conditioned indoor location at the home of the Arizona Coyotes will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and have the capacity to administer 1,000 shots per hour, according the release.

“This site will continue to be a national model for mass vaccination as we shift outdoor operations to indoor locations,” Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ said in the release.

“Gila River Arena and city of Glendale, in partnership with ADHS and the Arizona Cardinals, are making it possible to continue vaccinating while the Glendale operation gets closer to administering 1 million doses.”

With temperatures rising, the 24/7 drive-thru State Farm Stadium site will transition to overnight hours this weekend, as previously planned.

Operations there will pause at midnight Saturday for the first time since the site debuted Jan. 11. State Farm Stadium will reopen Sunday under new daily hours, 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.

It’s not the only upcoming change for the ADHS vaccination program.

The Chandler-Gilbert Community College site will give its last jab on Saturday. It will be replaced Monday with an indoor drive-thru location at the Dexcom distribution center near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

A week’s worth of appointments for the state-run sites are released every Friday at 11 a.m. Appointments can be booked online at https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/ or by calling 844-542-8201.

For other Valley availability, the Maricopa County Public Health website has an online vaccine finder that shows pharmacies, government-run sites, health clinics and pop-up distribution events along with links to the applicable registration pages.

Additional spots can open at any time through any provider because of cancellations and additional deliveries, so vaccine seekers should continue checking any or all of the registration options regularly.

Although appointments are required, all adults are eligible at the state-run sites as well as any other vaccine provider in metro Phoenix. The minimum age is 16 for the Pfizer vaccine and 18 for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots.

“I encourage all Arizonans to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible at a location near them,” Gov. Doug Ducey said in the release. “It’s safe, it’s effective and it’s completely free.”

Follow @kstonezone