Disneyland has remained closed since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States in March, and the company loose tens of thousands of employees. Now, the theme park is set to become the first mass vaccination site in Orange County, California, as the state faces COVID-19 death record.
Government officials announced Monday night that Disneyland will be the first “Super Point-of-Dispensing” (POD) location in the county when it starts operating later this week.
“Disneyland Resort, the largest employer in the heart of Orange County, has prepared to host the county’s first Super POD location – performing a monumental task in our vaccination distribution process,” said Acting President Andrew Do, Orange Supervisor County, representing the First District, said in a statement.
The county plans to open more Super POD locations soon, with five regional locations capable of vaccinating thousands of people daily – making the vaccination process much more efficient.
“The coronavirus brought a public health crisis and economic devastation,” said Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu. “With this super site, we will start to overcome both. Each vaccination performed in Anaheim will help save lives and speed up the reopening and recovery of our city ”.
Echoing the process across much of the United States, vaccines in Orange County are distributed through a tiered and layered approach, with law enforcement officials and the first respondents among the first to be vaccinated. Now, residents over 75 can also get the vaccine.
Those who meet the criteria must schedule an appointment at a Super POD location to be vaccinated, officials said.
Orange County has a population of about 3.1 million people. According to county data, more than 190,000 residents have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began.
“Disneyland Resort is proud to help support Orange County and the city of Anaheim with the use of our property, and we are grateful for all efforts to combat COVID-19,” Dr. Pamela Hymel, Medical Director, Disney Parks, Experiences and products, said CBS News. “After a year in which so many in our community faced unprecedented difficulties and uncertainties, there is now reason to be optimistic about administering a vaccine.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Monday that the state would step up its coronavirus vaccination efforts this week, also inaugurating mass vaccination sites at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Petco Park in San Diego and Cal Expo in Sacramento. The state reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths over the weekend.
Newsom said the state’s goal is to vaccinate 1 million more people by the weekend.