By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Mass Vaccination Hub Opens In Stockton
c19

Following a brief delay due to receiving fewer vaccine doses than anticipated, the mass vaccination hub at the Stockton Arena will open to Kaiser Permanente members and the public as of Wednesday, April 7. This hub is part of a joint effort to establish large, temporary vaccination hubs to jumpstart vaccine access especially in communities hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The site has the capacity to administer up to 5,400 vaccines daily, contingent on continuing vaccine supply. Vaccinations are by appointment only, seven days a week.

This is the fourth mass vaccination site opened by a consortium of health care partners. The consortium, initiated by Kaiser Permanente, includes Adventist Health, Dignity Health, the California Medical Association and the California Primary Care Association. The American Red Cross is providing its expertise on mass site planning.

Another mass vaccination site opened March 26 at California State University Bakersfield (CSUB). The consortium’s first two mass vaccination hubs – at Cal Poly Pomona in Los Angeles County and at Moscone Center in San Francisco – have administered more than 400,000 doses of vaccine to the general public and populations served by the consortium partners since early February, despite ongoing challenges with vaccine supply.

The Stockton Arena mass vaccination site is at 248 W. Fremont St., Stockton. The opening of the Stockton hub was originally scheduled for March 30, but had to be delayed due to insufficient vaccine supply. Vaccine is supplied for the hub by a separate allocation from the state. After learning additional supply was available for the site, Kaiser Permanente and the consortium are now ready to begin administering vaccinations to Kaiser Permanente members and the community.

This vaccination site complements a variety of vaccination venues operated or supported by each of the consortium partners, including hospitals, urgent care facilities, medical office buildings, “pop-up” neighborhood clinics, and mobile vaccination units. Many of these efforts are being done in partnership with local governments and community-based organizations to ensure service to vulnerable and underrepresented populations.

In addition to supporting expanded vaccine access, all of the consortium partners are committed to increasing vaccine confidence through public health messaging and partnerships with community and faith-based organizations.

Supply for the mass vaccination hubs is coordinated in partnership with Blue Shield, the state’s third-party administrator for vaccine distribution, to ensure vaccine is distributed equitably, with the greatest impact for communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 infection and death.

Appointments can be scheduled at California’s My Turn vaccine scheduling website, myturn.ca.gov. Individuals seeking appointments through My Turn are screened for eligibility under the California Department of Public Health’s vaccine administration guidelines.