The Maricopa County COVID-19 vaccination site operated by Dignity Health at Chandler-Gilbert Community College will become a state-run site starting March 3. (Twitter Photo / @ DignityHealthAZ)
PHOENIX – Arizona’s health department is adding a fourth state-run site for massive COVID-19 vaccinations next week, this one in the East Valley.
The Chandler-Gilbert Community College issue point, which operates as part of the Maricopa County vaccination program, will become a site of the Arizona Department of Health Services on March 3, Governor Doug Ducey announced Monday.
It will initially operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, increasing to 24 hours a day when more vaccine is available, according to a press release.
Registration for doses at the East Valley site begins March 1 at 9:00 am
“A region with more than half of our state’s population will now have three state-run vaccination sites that will enable Arizona to vaccinate large numbers quickly as vaccine supply increases,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director of Arizona Health said in the publication.
“Arizona has proven that the state’s nationally recognized model for these vaccination sites is scalable and transferable to other sites. By combining state resources with the support of partners, we can continue to get more doses into the arms of Arizonans. “
Dignity Health, along with Maricopa County, operates the community college site. As previously planned, the province will end its activities there on Saturday. On Feb. 6, Dignity Health celebrated the delivery of 100,000 doses at the POD, located on Pecos Road just west of Gilbert Road in Chandler.
The Department of Health will reopen the operation in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Arizona’s Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Maricopa County Community College District.
“Arizona has called on the federal government to provide our state with more doses of vaccine,” Ducey said in the publication. “As more supplies become available, we are ready to administer the vaccine and protect Arizonans.”
Last week, the existing vaccination surgery at the University of Arizona was turned into the third state-run site, the first in southern Arizona.
It joined existing state-run venues at State Farm Stadium in Glendale and Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Only the State Farm Stadium site, which debuted on Jan. 11, offers 24/7 service so far.
For information on vaccine availability statewide, the ADHS website has a vaccine finder page with a map of locations and registration information.