Philadelphia opens 2nd neighborhood mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Department of Public Health opened its second of three neighborhood mass COVID-19 vaccination centers Thursday for residents with appointments.

It is set up at the Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School in the city's Juniata section.

Mayor Jim Kenney joined Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley, along with other leaders, to tour the site before it opened Thursday morning.

"The people who are invited here today are the people who went to the government website and signed up under our vaccine interest database," Farley said.

The plan is to vaccinate up to 400 people every day that the clinics are operating, according to city officials.

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The clinic at Martin Luther King Jr. Older Adult Center opened Tuesday as the first center under this new effort to make vaccines more available.

A mix of people who live nearby and others from across the city were receiving the vaccine.

"Until now, I would say we have not vaccinated enough people to change the course of the epidemic. But soon, we will be," said Farley.

These locations are open to Philadelphia residents who had appointments and fall within Phase 1B.

When it comes to getting appointments at these sites, city officials say you must first fill out the vaccine interest form on the Philadelphia health department's website or call 311.

For some, that meant getting an extra hand to help in the online process.

"We're not really good on the computer so I had to get my daughter to help us," said Rita Flynn from Northeast Philadelphia. She and her husband, Joe, married for 47 years, both received their first shots on Thursday.

After that, when it's your turn to receive the vaccine, you'll be notified by email or phone to set up an appointment.

On Saturday another community vaccination site will be opening in West Philadelphia at the University of the Sciences.

Message from City of Philadelphia:

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is providing COVID-19 vaccine to all Philadelphia residents. Unfortunately, there is not enough vaccine in the city right now for everyone who wants it. So the Health Department needs to make sure that people who are at the highest risk from COVID can get access to it first. Completing this form will let the Health Department know that you are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, and make sure that people with the highest risk can get it first. If you cannot complete this form, please call the Health Department at (215) 685-5488 or email covid@phila.gov.

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