Kaiser Permanente is opening a Covid-19 vaccination hub Thursday at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz for eligible members and others in the community, the health care provider announced in a press release Wednesday.
Dependent upon vaccine supply, the site is expected to operate seven days a week from 9am-5pm. Those interested in receiving their vaccine there can check eligibility and schedule an appointment by completing an e-visit at kp.org/covidvaccine.
“We are pleased to be making this announcement today, and we want to express our gratitude to all those involved with the Santa Cruz Warriors and at Kaiser Permanente who helped make this a reality,” said Dr. William Maclean, physician in charge for Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County, in a press release. “We’ll be working hard to help vaccinate community members as quickly and equitably as possible.”
Kaiser Permanente follows state and CDC guidance regarding prioritization for vaccinations. Eligibility currently includes educators, including teachers, school staff and childcare workers, those in emergency services, public transportation workers and food and agriculture workers. Also included are health care workers, those age 65 and older and those 16-64 who have medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to Covid-19.
Vaccinations are available by appointment only.
The vaccination hub was made possible through a partnership with the Santa Cruz Warriors, who call Kaiser Permanente Arena home.
“We are proud to have Kaiser Permanente as a partner of the Santa Cruz Warriors and are excited to serve our community as a vaccination site,” Santa Cruz Warriors President Chris Murphy said in a press release. “Kaiser Permanente continues to step up as a leader across our entire County, and I look forward to working with them to vaccinate our local community members and getting closer to the end of this pandemic.”
Kaiser Permanente San Jose and Santa Cruz County Chief Operating Officer Sam Bajaj said that the health care provider has “been vaccinating both members and non-members through our clinics in Scotts Valley and Watsonville, in addition to our San Jose and Clara Medical Centers.”
“As supply increases, the larger footprint of the arena will allow Kaiser Permanente to scale up its vaccination efforts and provide increased access to vaccines for residents,” Bajaj said.
For information about the vaccines, eligibility and how to make an appointment, visit kp.org/covidvaccine.
