COVID vaccine

The Pima County Health Department is teaming up with the Sunnyside Unified School District, Sunnyside School District Foundation, and the offices of Pima County District 2 Supervisor Dr. Matt Heinz and Ward 5 Councilmember Richard Fimbres to host a Community Resource Fair featuring free COVID-19 vaccines.

The event will be held June 19 at Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School, 3700 E. Alvord Road, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Out of concern for safety due to the increasing heat, there will be changes in hours for the two FEMA mobile COVID-19 vaccination units that will be moving to a new location on June 12.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been operating mobile units in partnership with Pima County since May 3, will be at Rillito Race Track, 4502 N. 1st Avenue, and Curtis Park, 2110 W. Curtis Road, June 12 through June 14.

A pop-up vaccination clinic for kids and a neighborhood canvassing event Saturday, May 22, will launch the next phase of targeted outreach by Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and partners in underserved areas disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. 

Arizona-run vaccination sites in the Phoenix area, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff, along with many pharmacies and other providers around the state, will begin offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to children 12 to 15 years old on Thursday, May 13. This exciting step forward follows today’s approval by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

More than 3 million people in Arizona have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, well more than half of the population age 16 and older. With plenty of supply now throughout the state, it’s easier than ever to roll up your sleeve to protect yourself, your family, and your community. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending two mobile vaccination units (MVUs), administrative staff and federal vaccinators to Pima County to support its distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to the hardest hit, hardest-to-reach communities with high risks of COVID-19 exposure and infection.

The operations, which will include more than 70 personnel from FEMA, Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Labor, will run through June 26.

 After a thorough safety review and recommendation by federal partners, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is advising providers to resume use of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today expressed confidence that the vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19. 

Spanish-speaking members of the community now have a new resource available to help book vaccine appointments as the result of a partnership with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) and Arizona’s 2-1-1 hotline. Known as the Promotores program, people may call 2-1-1 then 2-7-1 to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments for themselves, a relative, friend, co-worker, or neighbor or simply call to get information about COVID-19 with the help of a Spanish-speaking promotor.

The COVID-19 drive-through vaccination site managed by Banner – University Medicine at Kino Stadium will deliver its last doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on May 14 before shutting down permanently due to hot weather. 

Hours at the Kino Stadium site will shift on April 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, in order to keep the public, staff and volunteers out of the heat. Patients will be notified by Banner directly if their appointment times need to be adjusted due to this change.

Arizona has administered its 4 millionth dose of COVID-19 vaccine and is equipped to get even more vaccine into the community as supplies from the federal government ramp up. 

“Our state continues to be a model for administering these safe and highly effective vaccines widely, rapidly, and equitably,” Governor Doug Ducey said. “I’m grateful to everyone who has received their vaccine and done their part to protect the community. I encourage all Arizonans who haven’t been vaccinated yet to roll up their sleeves and get the vaccine as soon as they can.”