Willow Grove Mass Vaccine Clinic To Open Friday

WILLOW GROVE, PA — Montgomery County said that its third mass vaccine clinic, located in Willow Grove, will open up on Friday, March 19. The site was originally announced two weeks ago, but could not open until an increase in doses was received this week.

The new site will be in a strip mall across the street from the Willow Grove Mall. It has the capacity to deliver 10,000 doses a day, but will not be able to operate at that level to start due to the ongoing shortage of shipments received by the county.

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"This is welcome news because now anyone who gets an appointment with us will be able to choose the location where they go to receive their vaccine," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said. "This will make it easier for people to find a location that is closest to them."

The opening of the new site will mark a change in the logistics of how the county delivers vaccine. Previously, the Norristown Area High School site was giving 1,000 first doses a day, and the Montgomery County Community College site in Blue Bell was giving 1,000 second doses a day.

Now, all three sites, Blue Bell, Norristown, and Willow Grove, will each give 500 first doses a day, starting on Friday. All three sites will then also give second doses to everyone who received their first dose there.

When residents are contacted for an appointment, they'll be able to select which location they want to receive their shot at.

There are also plans underway for a fourth community vaccine clinic in the western part of the county, near Pottstown.

The county continues to request more doses than it has been receiving from the state, and significant delays remain for those who have registered with the county. Although the state has said they will significantly increase shipments in the coming weeks, for now, the county estimates it could take six weeks until you hear back about scheduling an appointment once you register.

You can pre-register for a county vaccine appointment here if you are in the 1A group. You can also register with other providers outside of Montgomery County.