The happiest place on the planet is set to become a distribution hub for the COVID-19 vaccine, Orange County officials announced on Monday.
The resort will be the first of five regional PODs, or dispensation points, in the region, which will be able to vaccinate thousands of residents a day, according to the municipality’s statement. It will be operational later this week.
“Disneyland Resort, the largest employer in the heart of Orange County, has stepped up to host the county’s first Super POD location – performing a monumental task in our vaccination distribution process,” said county president Andrew Do in a statement. . “We really appreciate the support of the Orange County Fire Authority, our cities and our residents as we continue to implement COVID-19 vaccines across the county.”
Vaccines are currently available to residents and people who work in Orange County who meet the listed criteria for phase 1a of California vaccine implementation. This population includes police officers, first respondents in high-risk communities and people aged 75 and over.
“It is important to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19, and we need space for that,” said supervisor Donald P. Wagner. “I thank the Disneyland Resort and the city of Anaheim for intensifying the shared effort to protect OC residents from the virus.”
Those eligible to be vaccinated will be contacted through their employer to schedule an appointment. COVID-19 infection rates have skyrocketed in California in recent months, with the state reaching more than two million cases in total. Disneyland has been closed since March due to the pandemic, although Downtown Disney was able to operate with limited capacity according to state guidelines.