Anaheim Convention Center Super POD Opens Tuesday

ANAHEIM, CA— Coronavirus vaccine appointments at the Anaheim Convention Center were set to begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Orange County Health Care announced late in the day Monday. An expected 16,000 doses of vaccine into the county were enough to open the new site, according to Orange County CEO Frank Kim.

Officials had planned to open the new vaccination site at the convention center on Wednesday but moved it up when the state on Monday said Orange County would get 16,000 doses of Moderna vaccine, Kim said.

"When the state indicated they were going to drop our weekly allocation Tuesday we felt comfortable using what vaccine we had on hand," Kim said. Storm systems crippling much of the east coast and midwest were to blame behind the delay of vaccines. Orange County officials feared they would run out of vaccines due to those delivery delays.

Opening Anaheim Convention Center

The Anaheim Convention Center will begin by giving second-dose coronavirus shots to those whose appointments were canceled last week, a city spokesperson shared.

Appointments for the Super POD can only be made through the Othena App, and are only eligible to Orange County residents who meet the current state of California vaccine requirements. Anyone else will be turned away, regardless of whether an appointment was scheduled through the county app.

As of this week, California has opened vaccines to all of Phase 1A and 1B, Tier 1.

Following days of vaccine delays due to weather on the east coast, the only vaccine distribution point open on Monday was the one at Soka University in Aliso Viejo.

Read: Othena: OC Residents Question Vaccine Scheduling App's History

The county's other sites at Disneyland and Santa Ana College remained closed through Monday

County officials on Friday used what little vaccines they had left to provide booster shots for seniors through mobile clinics that were set up to reach seniors who had to get help enrolling in the county's Othena app and website, according to Kim.

"It would be easier to reschedule shots for residents who were able to navigate the technology to make their own appointments," Kim said.

Anyone needing a booster shot should not worry about being a little late, he said. The manufacturers say a booster shot can be dispensed up to six weeks late and still be effective, according to Dr. Clayton Chau, the county's chief health officer and director of the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Starting this week, the county will allocate 70% of its vaccines for residents 65 and older and the rest for new categories of workers now made eligible for shots by the state. They include teachers, child care providers, and food industry workers.

"This change to eligibility guidelines will mean a slower vaccine rollout for individuals who are currently eligible under Phase 1a and people age 65 and older," Chau said in a memo to county officials on Friday.

Orange County on Monday also continued its march from purple to the less restrictive red tier, due to decreasing coronavirus cases, which will allow for the reopening more businesses, as 253 new COVID-19 cases and logged 38 more deaths were reported.

As of Monday morning, the cumulative coronavirus case count stands at 244,885 and the death toll rose to 3,848.

Hospitalizations continued a downward trend, dropping from 577 Sunday to 556 Monday, with the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care dropping from 190 to 179, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.

The county has 15.9% of its ICU beds available and 59% of its ventilators.

The daily test positivity rate was 5.4% on Monday, the equity rate for minority residents in hot spots, was at 7%, and the case rate per 100,000 was at 11.7, Kim said.

"Those are good numbers," Kim told City News Service. "That would get us access to a lot of sports that a lot of the community wants. ... We're not at the red tier yet, but we're going down about one point a day."

There has also been a dip in demand for COVID-19 testing, Kim said.

"There's been a reduction in the amount of people seeking testing," Kim said. "It's not that we're testing at a low rate, but if you see a decline in cases and testing that tells you there aren't a lot of cases because they move in parallel."

Where to go:

The address of the convention center is 800 W. Katella Ave.

Vaccines are provided in Hall A of the convention center, located on the northern end of the campus along Katella Avenue, according to the city of Anaheim.

What to bring:

When you come for your first dose appointment, please be sure to bring with you:

• Proof of your appointment, preferably on the Othena mobile app
• A valid form of ID
• Proof of address
• Proof of employment if using for eligibility.

If you do not have the necessary documentation to prove you have an appointment and are eligible to be vaccinated, you will be turned away.

For your second dose, you only need to bring with you:

• Proof of your appointment, preferably on the Othena mobile app
• A valid form of ID

It is recommended that those with appointments bring water and snacks, good shoes and a small chair if you have trouble standing or walking for long periods. Questions? Call the county's hotline at (714) 834-2000.

Where to Park:

Those with appointments can park for free in Car Park 1.

To enter the parking garage, head east on Katella Avenue and turn right at the light marked with a sign reading Convention Center, just before Harbor Boulevard (see map below).

There will be traffic control officers and signage to help direct you.

Once you park, you'll be directed to the Anaheim Arena, where you'll be staged by appointment time.

NOTE: Please do not arrive more than 30 minutes before your appointment time.

There will be a family waiting area in the plaza near Car Park 1 for family members to wait for their companion to finish the vaccination process.

Read also:

Coronavirus Vaccinations At Soka University: What To Know

Othena: OC Residents Question Vaccine Scheduling App's History

Othena Fail: Vaccination Scheduling App Slammed By OC Supervisors

Disneyland Vaccination Site Opens, Othena Registration Struggles

City News Service contributed to this report.