State and local officials hope the mass vaccination site, which opened Tuesday in the parking lot of the Oakland Coliseum complex, will last about eight weeks.
The facility, which operates in conjunction with the federal government, will be open seven days a week and deliver doses until 7 p.m. every day.
Gavin Newsom, who spoke at the opening of another Mass Coronavirus vaccination site in the state of Los Angeles, said the location and the Oakland site would deliver 3,000 shots each on Tuesday, and wanted to double that by the end of the week. .
Vaccination for the Colosseum (as well as the Cal State Los Angeles website) comes directly from the federal government and not from the overall allocation from the state – so officials said they do not foresee the same issues that forced other major vaccination sites in the states do not have. to close.
Officials strongly urged those planning to get a vaccine at the Oakland site to make an appointment early and not wait outside the facility hoping to receive a remaining dose. Groups eligible for the vaccine at the Colosseum include those aged 65 and over, and essential workers in the education, food, agriculture and emergency services sectors. Qualification will not be limited to Alameda County residents.
Appointments can be made online at myturn.ca.gov or by calling 833-422-4255.
While the Oakland A’s home opener is scheduled for April 1, the A’s do not expect the site to interfere with games – which are still fanless. An A spokesman said: “We expect the vaccination site to remain open for as long as necessary.” We are confident that the action of the vaccine will not interfere with our games. “
Tuesday was a soup of alphabet from state, local and federal agencies on the site, including FEMA, Cal Fire, the State Office of Emergency Services, the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Forest Service.
Dozens of California National Guard troops carrying military ammunition were also on hand for logistical support and traffic control, officials said.
Three tents were available for people entering. The facility is also connected to public transportation, including the BART and Capitol Corridor train stations, and shuttle drivers will be available to take people to the site.
About 600 people work at the site, including 100 inmates provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site will hire about 180 additional residents to help manage the vaccinations.
Officials acknowledged that the feeling of war on the site could make people uncomfortable. But they promised not to check the immigration status of those looking for a vaccine.
“We are not immigration,” said Tammy Littrell, the FEMA acting administrator for the region that includes Alameda County.
Both the Cal State and Oakland sites also offer vaccinations to mobile units that go directly to underrepresented communities.
Rebecca Kaplan, deputy mayor of Oakland, said the local mobile units should be up and running by the end of the week.
“There will be additional sites in neighborhoods where people can go if access to this site is inconvenient and logistically difficult,” Kaplan said.
Chronicle staff author Matt Kawahara contributed to this report.
Michael Williams and Aidin Vaziri are writers of San Francisco Chronicle staff. Email: michael.williams@sfchronicle and [email protected]