Kaiser Permanente Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Kaiser Permanente) (PRNewsfoto/Kaiser Permanente)
Health organizations in California are joining together in an unprecedented effort to vaccinate their members and the general public using a network of COVID-19 mass vaccination hubs throughout the state.
The consortium, initiated by Kaiser Permanente, includes Adventist Health, the California Medical Association, Dignity Health, and Futuro Health. California Primary Care Association will also be working with the consortium to ensure broad equitable access to the sites through its member federally qualified community health centers. In addition, the American Red Cross has provided its expertise on mass site planning.
The first two vaccination hubs opened at Cal Poly Pomona, and at Moscone Center in San Francisco. Establishment of the hubs is aimed at accelerating vaccination of vulnerable individuals, especially those 75 years and older, as prioritized by the California Department of Public Health.
The hubs will offer vaccinations by appointment only, 7 days a week, as long as supply is available. Each site will start at a lower capacity, ramping up volume as site operations are refined, and continuing to increase. Each site will have the capacity of administering up to 10,000 doses per day, depending on supply. The success of these hubs will be highly dependent on the available supply of vaccine.
The goal for this unique collaboration among a consortium of health organizations and the State of California is to contribute to the broader solution for vaccine access, eventually creating a network of hubs around the state. Future locations will be chosen to maximize access, especially for communities with rural populations and people who have historically experienced lower rates of vaccination. No single organization could achieve this scale on its own.
“We’ve experienced the tremendous power of collaboration throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Scott Reiner, CEO of Adventist Health. “Adventist Health is proud to continue that collaboration through this effort to provide much-needed vaccine to communities across California, especially our most vulnerable, in alignment with our mission of living God’s love.”