LA County to transition four mass vaccination sites to smaller community locations

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Amidst the declining demand for vaccine appointments and an increase in the areas served by mobile vaccination teams, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will transition four mass vaccination sites to smaller community locations.

"It is clear that we need to double-down on efforts to make it as easy as possible to get a vaccine and build trust in COVID-19 vaccines,” said LA County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer in a statement.

“Many residents have important questions that need to be answered and their concerns are valid.  Our job is to continue to be transparent and honest as we share information on vaccine safety and efficacy.”

Hitting "herd immunity" is becoming an elusive goal in LA County. Officials were initially hoping to have 80% of eligible residents vaccinated by the end of June.

With falling demand for shots, Ferrer said, "I don't know with certainty how long it will take us to get to 75-80 percent of eligible people being fully vaccinated here in LA County. I do know that every person that gets vaccinated gets us closer to that goal."

The Department of Public Health confirmed 9 new deaths and 228 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. Of the nine new deaths reported today, six were 65 or older.

The county is not alone in its shift away from mass vaccination sites. The LA city government aims to exclusively use mobile vaccination clinics by August 1. The hope is that mobile vaccination teams can better target LA’s hardest-hit communities.

On June 7, the County will close the California State University Northridge vaccination site and transition to providing vaccinations to nearby residents at the Balboa Sports Complex. This includes residents who have already received their first dose at California State University Northridge.

After June 13, LA County will transition the large capacity vaccination sites at The Forum, Pomona Fairplex, and LA County Office of Education to nearby community sites.

On June 15, residents can go to the following vaccination sites:

Ted Watkins Memorial Park

1335 E. 103rd St.

Los Angeles, CA 90002

Hours of operation: Tues-Sat, 11am to 6pm

Commerce Senior Citizens Center

2555 Commerce Way

Commerce, CA 90040

Hours of operation: Tues-Sat, 11am to 6pm

Norwalk Arts & Sports Complex

13000 Clarkdale Avenue

Norwalk, CA 90650

Hours of operation: Tues-Sat, 11am to 6pm

To find a vaccination site and make an appointment, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). Help finding an appointment or transportation to an appointment is also available by calling 1-833-540-0473.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty