PHOENIX — A pop-up vaccination site at Chase Field on Saturday morning was designed to focus on families and kids.
The Diamondbacks partnered with ADHS to set up an event that would encourage vaccinations while giving participants something to look forward to.
Everyone who showed up got their vaccine, a ticket to a game and a chance to run the bases.
“One by one we’re seeing the kids go through,” said Debbie Castaldo, the Diamondbacks’ senior vice president of Corporate and Community Impact. “And they all say, ‘Gosh, it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was no big deal.’ So, it’s working just like we hoped it would.”
Jake Hunt got his shot from ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ. Before he jetted around the base paths, he had a message for his friends, “Get the shot. So, we can stop COVID and just have a normal year.”
At the current vaccination rate, Dr. Christ said that she expects Arizona to reach herd immunity sometime in the early fall, but she also said vaccination rates have decreased.
“We hear a lot of concerns that people don’t feel that the vaccine has been tested. And this has been rigorously tested. It’s gone through the same clinical trials that all other vaccines have. This type of vaccine has been around for other types of illnesses for a long time,” Dr. Christ said.
This is but the latest push to give all communities an opportunity and incentive to get vaccinated. It was well attended and well received.
Expect more of the same moving forward.
COVID-19 Vaccine
Subscribe to the 12 News YouTube channel to receive notifications on the latest videos about the coronavirus vaccine and the developments on the distribution in the United States.