TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Dr. Cara Christ, the director of Arizona's Department of Health Services, said that essential workers across the state should be able to get vaccinated in March.
"As we move into all of phase 1B it will have the essential workers. That will expand the population that is available," Dr. Christ said. "We are looking at the beginning to mid-march for the state as on a general basis to move into 1B."
Dr. Christ said that as the vaccine supply increases, the state will also be able to expand point-of-distribution (POD) sites.
"We will be looking at moving to more community-based pods as we get more vaccine in the state," Dr. Christ said.
One of the places she mentioned as a possibility is Yuma.
Right now, the state is working to reallocate vaccines in response to the vaccine shipments delayed by winter weather across the country.
"We are trying to maintain situation awareness and identify where potentially doses can be reallocated so that we don't have to cancel appointments or where appointments can be rescheduled so that people don't miss those doses," Dr. Christ said.
Dr. Christ also said that the new state-run POD at the University of Arizona is currently aiming for 600 to 1,200 doses a day but will expand as vaccine supply increases.
The goal for the University of Arizona POD is to be open 24/7 and administer around 6,000 doses a day.
