Disneyland has reopened its mass vaccination site — known as a Super POD — this past Monday, according to Orange County Health Care Agency officials, and the Anaheim Convention Center opened its Super POD for the first time on Tuesday.
High winds this weekend closed the Disney site again on Sunday, according to OCHCA, while those with appointments for vaccination were diverted to nearby Anaheim Convention Center. They said Disney reopened as scheduled Monday.
The moves come after Disneyland closed its POD last week when heavy storms in Texas and other areas of the country stalled delivery of vaccine doses. At about the same time, the Convention Center announced it was reopened after a storm-related closure.
With some doses arriving in recent days, both sites are beginning the process of administering second doses of the vaccine to those who qualify.
“It’s very limited because the supply’s limited,” said Stanton Mayor David Shawver, who has been fielding calls from constituents all week. “I give people all the numbers and tell them to move forward and they’re going to be all right.”
Other large- and mid-sized vaccination sites, such as Santa Ana College, shut down until they could beef up their inventory of the FDA-approved Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
At press time, it was unclear if and when those sites would reopen.
Meantime, the county will continue administering vaccines at open sites as originally planned, according to the most recent update on the OC Health Care Agency’s website.
“The OC Health Care Agency will prioritize second dose vaccinations for people who received their first dose, and individuals who are now eligible under Tier 1B based on California Department of Public Health new guidelines.”
Vaccines are available to those who fall in Phase 1A: healthcare workers, first responders, nursing home residents and those 65 and older. Those eligible must live or work in Orange County. Starting this or next week, registration for vaccines will broaden to Phase 1B, tier 1: educators, childcare workers and those who work in food and agriculture. Those in Phase 1B, tier 1 are expected to begin receiving shots in early March.
Appointments at all sites are required through the Othena App.
All others in the county looking to be immunized will likely be able to do so in spring or early summer, though no date has been set.
As of Feb. 18, 261,374 county residents had received their first dose only, according to data provided by the OC Health Care Agency. Those who had received both doses numbered 125,487. About 150,000 shots had been given at Disneyland since it opened in January.
For more information, call the OC Health Care Agency at 714-834-2000 or email Othena’s support team at support@compsiteapps.net.
Courtesy photo