Dodger Stadium to 'wind down operations' as COVID vaccination site by end of May, Garcetti says
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Dodger Stadium will "wind down" COVID-19 vaccination operations by the end of May, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday.
Appointment-free vaccinations will be made available and more doses will be deployed to walk-up centers and mobile clinics, according to a news release.
"Access and equity remain our North Stars in the campaign to protect public health and get every Angeleno vaccinated - and the Dodgers have been extraordinary partners in helping us save lives," Garcetti said in a statement. "Dodger Stadium set the standard for sports franchises and community institutions playing a starring role in our COVID-19 response for the country."
Since the start of the pandemic, 1,038,899 Angelenos have been tested at Chavez Ravine and over 420,000 vaccine doses have been administered there, the mayor's office said.
The city says the transition from mass-vaccination sites to more community-based options is the next step.
As of Friday, nearly 50% of eligible Los Angeles County residents have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 30% are fully vaccinated, officials said.
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Meanwhile, as the supply of coronavirus vaccine doses in the U.S. outpaces demand, some places around the country are finding there's such little interest in the shots, they need to turn down shipments.
The dwindling demand for vaccines illustrates the challenge that the U.S. faces in trying to conquer the pandemic while at the same time dealing with the optics of tens of thousands of doses sitting on shelves when countries like India and Brazil are in the midst of full-blown medical emergencies.
