PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas toured the FEMA mass vaccination clinic in Philadelphia Tuesday, which he said was a sign of the Biden administration’s commitment to equity in the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“This is a shining example of a number of attributes,” he said.
Mayorkas said President Joe Biden challenged FEMA to open 100 mass clinics in 30 days. It opened 440. And with the Philadelphia site rollout, that number is now over 500.
Mayorkas chose to visit this one.
“The profile of this urban area, understanding there are otherwise disenfranchised populations if we don’t set up a facility like this is of extraordinary importance in the service of equity, in the service of public health,” he explained.
Achieving equity has been a major factor as the city works its way through the current vaccine priority group. Mayor Jim Kenney said the FEMA site allows the city to focus on its other community-based clinics.
“They are taking the weight off of us right now,” he said, “so they are giving us the ability to use our own vaccine to get into neighborhoods.”
The clinic can vaccinate 6,000 people a day, seven days a week, through at least April 30. Residents can sign up through the city’s website or by calling 311.
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Some people have been sharing links sent to them to make appointments. The mayor urged those not yet eligible to examine their conscience and not use invalid appointment links to jump the line.
Some SEPTA workers were immunized Tuesday at the clinic, which is located at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It officially opens to the rest of the public on Wednesday. It is open between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily by appointment only.