Special Vaccination Center For Educators Opens In Manhattan Beach

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — COVID-19 vaccinations for select educators will be available starting next week in Manhattan Beach at the Beach Cities Health District's AdventurePlex, 1701 Marine Avenue. The vaccination site is being opened to vaccinate employees of area school districts and select charter schools and is not open to other community members.

“COVID-19 has had an immense impact on all our lives. Thankfully, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the continued rollout of vaccines,” said Suzanne Hadley, Mayor of Manhattan Beach. “The City happily partners with County of Los Angeles Supervisor Janice Hahn and the Beach Cities Health District to provide a local vaccine site, within our own city limits. Our City recognizes that the supply of vaccines continues to be limited. Nonetheless, we are dedicated to ensuring that whatever vaccine is available, our City personnel will assist with administering it to those who are eligible.”

The BCHD vaccination site is a POD, point of dispensing, that the L.A. County Department of Public Health and county Office of Education determined will vaccinate educators and staff in Service Planning Area 8. Vaccine doses will be set aside for early childcare education, private and independent schools through restricted educator appointments at county-run vaccination sites such as the one being set up by BCHD at AdventurePlex.

The following districts are included in the BCHD vaccination center's POD:

• Manhattan Beach Unified School District
• Wiseburn Unified School District
• El Segundo Unified School District
• Hermosa Beach City School District
• Redondo Beach Unified School District
• Palos Verdes Unified School District
• Centinela Valley Unified High School District
• Hawthorne Unified School District
• Inglewood Unified School District
• Lawndale Unified School District
• Lennox Unified School District

Other closed POD locations are starting to spring up, including one at Cal State Long Beach, where only university employees and students will receive the COVID vaccine.

"We are pleased to partner with the L.A. County Department of Public Health, Supervisor Janice Hahn, the City of Manhattan Beach and our school districts on our vaccination site that will allow local educators to get the COVID-19 vaccine," said Tom Bakaly, CEO of Beach Cities Health District. "Our team, including many volunteers, will use the lessons learned from administering more than 135,000 COVID-19 tests at our Redondo Beach site to make this vaccine site efficient and effective. We are ready to vaccinate our educators as promptly as possible. Vaccines are an additional tool in the fight against COVID-19 in addition to physical distancing, wearing face masks correctly, washing our hands and avoiding crowds. We're going to need to use all available tools to get through this pandemic together."

"We have been able to build a great partnership with Beach Cities Health District and they are going to do the important work vaccinating our South Bay teachers and school staff," said County Supervisor Janice Hahn. "This is good news for teachers, parents, and our kids. If it was ever up for debate before, this pandemic has made it clear that our teachers are essential, and we need them back in classrooms."

Currently, people who are 65+ are part of Phase 1A, and have been able to get vaccinated in the county by making an appointment online (use the link below). Beginning on Monday, those who work in education and childcare, food and agriculture, and first responders and law enforcement — all included in Phase 1B, Tier 1 — are eligible and can schedule a free COVID-19 vaccine appointment on the website: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/vaccine/hcwsignup/.

As for the new AdventurePlex site, "Right now L.A. County Department of Public Health has allocated BCHD's site vaccines for educators only," BCHD told Patch. "We will definitely update you if we learn more."

AdventurePlex, BCHD's family fitness facility, has been temporarily closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March. The facility is now offering virtual content for families to enjoy safely at home. Employees from BCHD’s AdventurePlex have been re-assigned to BCHD’s COVID-19 operations.

Throughout the pandemic, BCHD has provided a number of services to Beach Cities residents, including healthy meal deliveries, running essential errands for older adults and other at-risk populations, and providing information via its Assistance, Information & Referral line. For information on COVID-19 testing, health-related referrals or assistance, visit bchd.org/coronavirus or call (310) 374-3426, ext. 256.

BCHD plans to continue offering COVID-19 tests at the BCHD campus at 514 N Prospect Ave., Redondo Beach.

Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) is a healthcare district focused on preventative health and serves the communities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. Established in 1955 as a public agency, it offers an extensive range of dynamic health and wellness programs, with innovative services and facilities to promote health and prevent diseases across the lifespan. BCHD also operates AdventurePlex, a health and fitness facility where kids play their way to good health, and the Center for Health & Fitness, a comprehensive fitness center that is the only Medical Fitness Association-certified facility in California. Visit www.bchd.org or call (310) 374-3426 for more information.