Mass vaccination site due to open Monday
LANCASTER — The City’s mass COVID-19 vaccination site will open Monday at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in partnership with Kaiser Permanente.
The vaccine will be available to all eligible residents regardless of insurance. Kaiser uses the Moderna vaccine.
“We’re hopeful that we’re going to inoculate the entire Antelope Valley within a couple months. We’ll see if we’re able to meet that ambitious goal,” Mayor R. Rex Parris said during a COVID-19 update broadcast Friday morning on Facebook.
Vice mayors Dr. Larry Stock and Dr. Jonathan Truong, and Dr. David Bronstein, a pediatrician and pediatric infectious disease specialist at Kaiser Permanente in the Antelope Valley, joined the mayor and City Manager Jason Caudle to answers questions.
In order to receive a vaccination, qualified residents will be required to make an appointment via kp.org/ covidvaccine. For eligibility guidelines, visit kp.org/covidvaccine. Kaiser Permanente will expand vaccine eligibility based on vaccine availability and changing guidelines from the state. Appointments are first-come, first-served and open to residents of the Antelope Valley. The individuals who have an appointment should go to the AV Fairgrounds regardless of what the appointment tells you.
The site will be a drive-up and walk-in site. People will wait in their vehicle until they are called to get the dose as part of a “pod.” After a
15-minute observation they will be allowed to return to their vehicle.
Bronstein said they will start with about 1,000 doses per day, with a goal to ramp up to 1,500 doses per day.
To help individuals get their vaccine, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority will launch its dedicated local bus service to the COVID-19 vaccination center at fairgrounds on Monday.
With more than 521,000 deaths in the United States attributed to COVID-19, Bronstein said the vaccine is tremendously important,
“There’s really nothing other than a vaccine that’s going to bring us out of this pandemic,” Bronstein said.
The virus is dangerous, spreads from person to person easily and is difficult to test for. There is also no treatment for the virus. The good news is the vaccine is safe and effective. Even though you can still get a COVID-19 infection, the vaccine will protect you from severe illness and death.
“Even though the vaccines are safe, it’s important that everybody understands what to expect when you get the vaccines,” Bronstein said.
Side effects are almost guaranteed. Bronstein’s arm was sore after the first dose. He also had chills and felt achy. After the second dose, he felt as if he had a mild case of the flu or something.
“It lasts very short amount of time and then you’re good after that,” Bronstein said.
Individuals older than 60 or 65 seem to have few side effects.
Individuals who have had COVID-19 previously should get the vaccine.
Dr. Stock and Deputy Mayor Maria Altamirano will be at the Lancaster National Soccer Center, 43000 30th Street East, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today for a free drive-thru event.
The city will give away free $20 Take Out and Chill gift cards at the event.
“We want to reach out specifically to every part of the city, especially people that don’t have health insurance, that don’t have doctors, that may not have had the information that they need to protect themselves and their families from COVID and or from other primary health care problems,” Stock said.
Medical staff will be available to help answer your COVID-19 questions, including topics related to testing, vaccine, general safety, and free resources available. Free masks and PPE supplies will also be provided.
All are welcome; no health insurance is required and bilingual staff will be available for our Spanish-speaking community. This is a question-and-answer-style community event providing advice and PPE only; no medical services will be offered.