City of Riverside opens first COVID-19 vaccination clinic
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- The City of Riverside joined other large cities by putting up a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Saturday at the Riverside Convention Center parking lot.
The city expected to administer the Moderna vaccine to 500 people who fall into Phase 1 and the Phase 1B tier 1 category, as well as people 65 years of age and older.
"The tier system is set by the state and managed by the county, and right now we are into the tier system section that encompasses teachers, law enforcement personnel, emergency service workers, such as ones activated in the EOC, and food and agriculture workers. Plus anybody who is 65 and older and anybody who is in the tiers above that such as a healthcare worker who may not have already gotten their vaccine is still eligible to come get the vaccine," said Capt. Tim Strack with Riverside Fire Department.
Saturday's vaccine clinic is one of three being held, including Monday and Tuesday. Officials expect to administer 500 vaccinations each day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Appointments are required to receive the vaccine. No appointments were available on Saturday.
Before the clinic opened, people were already lined up.
"We're hoping to scale this site to as many 1,500 a day. However, right now the issue is we don't have the vaccine. Once we can get them, we will be scaling this site up as much as we can and when we get more, there will be more appointments," said Capt. Strack.
Those who received the vaccine will have to return in 28 days to receive their second shot.
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