The first mass vaccination centers planned by the federal government are set to roll out in California.
The first two locations — staffed by employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health and Human Services — will be at the Oakland Coliseum and the campus of California State University, Los Angeles.
Jeff Zients, President Biden’s COVID-19 czar, said the facilities are strategically located next to communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, according to NBC News.
“These sites in California are just the beginning,” Zients said. “We are working with, in partnership, in states across the country to stand up new sites and will have more to say on that in the coming weeks.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the locations were chosen in part to inoculate low-income people, essential workers, and “communities that are often left behind,” according to Axios.
The plan is to have the dual centers opened by Feb. 16 and for each to be delivering at least 6,000 doses of the vaccine per day, Newsom said.
FEMA, which is aiming to have up to 100 centers nationwide, submitted a request to the Defense Department in January asking for assistance with the mass vaccination hubs. One of the options that the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security are reportedly exploring is sending thousands of troops to help at the centers.
“The department is evaluating the request, and what kinds of support it can provide. Given the significance of the request, it will be reviewed urgently but carefully to determine what DOD assets can safely be made available to support the effort,” said Pentagon press secretary John Kirby in a statement.
With 26.5 million cases since the pandemic began, new infections in the United States are down 30% in the past two weeks and new hospitalizations are down 22%. Despite the decreases, deaths are up 2%. About 450,000 people in the country have died with the illness.
