SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego may be coming to the end of the "super station" era for vaccine distribution.
According to county leaders, the focus for the next phase of vaccinations will be on smaller, community-based clinics in places like schools and community centers. They feel that will be the best way to reach San Diegans who have yet to get a vaccine.
"Every day, we're thinking about how do we adjust and change to make it easier and more convenient for folks," says County Board of Supervisors Chairman Nathan Fletcher.
MAP: Find a COVID-19 vaccination site near you
"As a county, we shift our mindset away from superstations and pods and into going into those areas where people traffic and make sure we make it as easy as possible to get vaccinated."
Since January 10, San Diego County has worked with UC San Diego, Scripps Health, and Sharp Healthcare to run five superstations. Altogether, those five sites have given out 841,391 doses of the vaccine. That accounts for 26.4% of all the shots given in the county. (For individual numbers, see map below)
But the site at Petco Park already closed on April 1 to make way for the Padres as the 2021 MLB season began. Monday, UC San Diego announced that their on-campus superstation at RIMAC Arena would close on June 1.
Meanwhile, the two sites run by Sharp have seen drastic declines in the number of people showing up for vaccinations, even as eligibility increases.
"We've gone from over 4,000, maybe 5,000, even 7,000 doses in one day across our five centers, down to between 2 & 3,000 doses across all centers combined," says Sharp VP of System Pharmacy Suzanne Shea.
IN-DEPTH COVERAGE:
- Why COVID vaccine mix-ups might actually be a good thing
- Why is San Diego County lagging behind LA in reopenings?
Shea says her system has already started looking into ways to transition out of the superstation model. A spokesperson for Sharp Healthcare told ABC 10News they have no plans to close the superstations right now and will keep them open until everyone who got the first shot at one of their sites can get a second shot in the same location.
Scripps Healthcare, which runs the superstation at Del Mar, says they don't know how much longer it will be open. But, Scripps just doubled the size of the site, increasing capacity to 10,000 shots per day. Officials with Scripps say they will have to adjust their hours and days of operations to accommodate upcoming events at the fairgrounds.
In the meantime, county officials hope the smaller sites will eliminate many of the superstations' problems.
Issues with weather and vaccine supply led to closures and cancellations. Traffic problems kept people waiting in their cars for hours when they went to an appointment. Getting an appointment was often a confusing and complicated process. And many people in underserved communities weren't able to go to a superstation because of transportation issues.
"We're able to pivot on a dime," Shea says of the upcoming changes. "If it's been hard to come to us, we'll come to you."
Still, the superstations helped San Diego become a leader in the state for vaccinating its population. As of May 11, San Diego County says 64% of all eligible people ages 16 and up have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. 47% of eligible people are fully vaccinated.
MORE RESOURCES: County-run vaccination sites offering walk-up vaccinations, pending supplies (Also online here):
Copley-Price YMCA
4300 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92105
Mondays & Fridays
9 AM – 3:30 PM
East Public Health Center
367 N. Magnolia Ave, El Cajon
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Lemon Grove Community Center
(last day at this location: 4/29, moving to Lemon Grove Senior Center on 5/2)
3146 School Ln, Lemon Grove
Sunday – Thursday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Linda Rhoades Recreation Center
600 North Santa Fe Ave, Vista
Tuesday-Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Linda Vista Vaccine Site at University of San Diego (USD)
5450 Linda Vista Road, San Diego
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Mar Vista High School
524 Imperial Beach Blvd, Imperial Beach
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Martin Luther King Community Center
140 E. 12th St, National City
Sunday – Thursday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Mexican Consulate
1549 India St, San Diego
Tuesday – Thursday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
North Inland – First United Methodist Church
341 Kalmia Street, Escondido
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Oceanside – North Coastal Live Well Health Center
1701 Mission Ave, Oceanside
Sunday – Thursday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
San Ysidro – Southwestern College
460 W. San Ysidro Blvd, San Ysidro
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
South Region Live Well Center
690 Oxford St, Chula Vista
Sunday – Thursday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Tubman-Chavez Community Center (moving to Jacobs Center TBD)
415 Euclid Ave, San Diego
Friday & Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
College Area – San Diego State University (SDSU) Viejas Arena Lot 13
5130 Canyon Crest Drive, San Diego
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Border View YMCA
3601 Arey Dr. San Diego
Sunday – Thursday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Mountain View – Educational Cultural Complex (ECC)
4343 Ocean View Blvd, San Diego
Tuesday – Saturday
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Sites – Open specific days only. Note dates.
Mira Mesa Senior Center
8460 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92126
Friday 5/14
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Walk-Thru
Mission San Luis Rey
4050 Mission Ave, Oceanside, CA 92057
Thursday 4/29
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Walk-Thru
Northgate Market: City Heights
5403 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92105
Thursday 5/13
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Walk-Thru
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
525 W. Vista Way, Vista, CA 92083
Saturday 5/8
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Walk-Thru
Sherman Heights Community Center
2258 Island Ave, San Diego 92102
Tuesday 4/27
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Walk-Thru
Southwestern College Otay Lakes
900 Otay Lakes Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Friday 4/30
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Mobile Walk-Thru
