Booster shot appointment waits at some Phoenix-area pharmacies at 2+ weeks
By BRIANA WHITNEY
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PHOENIX, Arizona (KPHO, KTVK) — With the omicron variant here in the U.S. and Christmas travel looming, many are trying to get their COVID-19 booster shots for more protection. But how accessible are the booster vaccines? It turns out it may take a little bit of research or a lot of patience.
A quick search for booster vaccines at the major pharmacies, and you’ll see quite a few appointments not available for over two weeks.
“Three weeks ago, we were doing 30 vaccines a day, now last night we did 115, so the demand has definitely increased,” said Dr. Vershalee Shukla, with Vincere Cancer Center.
“We’re seeing huge demand actually for boosters. We’re giving boosters at our mobile site as well as at the airport,” said Dr. Pablo Prichard, also with the Vincere Cancer Center.
The Vincere Cancer Center has partnered with the City of Phoenix for both COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccines with their mobile van.
It can be hard to find walk up options for booster shots in the Valley, but they do have that option at the mobile van, and it’s on the move everyday with their locations and times online. The link can be found here.
“It literally goes all over the Valley. We hit 50 different sites,” said Dr. Prichard. “We hit five sites per week.”
The state and county health departments said they’ve teamed up with community partners to offer pop-up vaccine events around town, which will often honor a walk-up booster appointment.
It’s a different option than the pharmacies or doctors’ offices.
Dr. Shukla said between the omicron variant, Christmas travel, and some companies requiring vaccines, that’s where they’ve seen this significant increase, but she doesn’t anticipate the booster shot people are getting now to be the last.
“I think this will be our new way of life similar to flu shots,” said Dr. Shukla.
The question then is how long the Vincere Cancer Center will have that van with the City of Phoenix to provide vaccines?
Dr. Shukla said with this new variant and the pandemic still ongoing, right now, they see it as indefinitely being available for vaccinations.
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