A new COVID-19 vaccination superstation opened in Chula Vista on Jan. 21 with the eventual goal of vaccinating more than 5,000 people per day. This is the fifth vaccination site to open in the South County area, with plans to bring a total of 12 vaccinations sites in this region. Also, a vaccination pod was opened in National City on Jan. 24. The pod is expected to vaccinate approximately 500 people a day.
Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas said Chula Vista and South County have been hit especially hard by COVID-19 and that too many lives have been lost to this terrible virus.
“This collaboration with our city, the County of San Diego and San Diego and Sharp Chula Vista improves access to a life-saving vaccine that will allow us to return our kids to school, re-open businesses and rebuild our economy.”
Marion King, Emergency Services Coordinator, city of Chula Vista said the superstation is a collaborative effort between the city of Chula Vista, the County and Sharp Healthcare. He said the site started providing 1,800 to 2,000 vaccinations per day and plans to scale up quickly to the 5,000 goal, then move in increasing the daily numbers.
King said now, at any site, the phase and tier system that the County established is being used. Currently Phase 1A-Tier 2, healthcare personnel and Phase 1B-Tier 1, people 65-years and older are available to make appointments for vaccinations.
“The response has been very positive,” said King. “We are meeting those goals daily. Registrations continue to fill up quickly and our goal is to increase that so we can get a lot more people in there. We understand that people are having a tough time registering and we are doing everything that we can to open more registration appointments so people can receive the vaccine that they need.”
King said the City dedicated staff to assist those that are 65 years and older who have issues, troubles with the computer system or no access to the internet. He said people can go to the vaccination center, and there is staff to help them register onsite. The City has also established a hotline, like 2-1-1, by calling 619-476-2397. People can call this number and city staff will help them register for a vaccine. King said the process from arriving onsite to leaving in your vehicle is approximately 30 minutes.
“We have seen people get through as quickly as 20 minutes,” he said. “Five minutes at the registration table and vaccination, then a 15 minute observation period. It is a quick and efficient process. We have plenty of staff there to assist with a variety of needs when they arrive. But people that have an appointment are expedited through there very quickly.”
San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas said she is excited to see the superstation open. She said with her background in public healthcare, it is a priority to make sure people have access.
“The only way we are going to get out of this pandemic is to get everyone vaccinated,” she said. “In my first week when we were able to introduce our board letters, we did one on healthcare equities. What that means is that we are going to be looking at outsourcing resources based on the needs in our community. The Latino population and South County in particularly have been impacted at a higher rate than any other population in the county of San Diego regarding COVID. To be able to bring a superstation to Chula Vista is important to me because I committed to the residents that I would do that.”
Vargas said there are currently five vaccination stations in South County, two in Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach and Coronado.
“We are going to have a total of 12,” she said. “I feel really good about it. I am excited about the work and partnership that we did with Mayor Salas and her team to be able to get this done.”
• Sharp Healthcare – South Bay Super Station, 1845 Broadway, Chula Vista (Chula Vista Vaccine Hotline: 619-476-2397
• South Region Live Well Center at Chula Vista, 690 Oxford Street, Chula Vista
• Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. 140 E. 12th Street, National City
• Imperial Beach Civic Center,825 Imperial Beach Blvd., Imperial Beach
• Sharp Coronado Hospital, 1845 Strand Way, Coronado
To schedule for vaccinations at any of these facilities, visit www.sandiegocounty.gov under COVID-19 Vaccine tab.
