A FEMA-run mass COVID-19 vaccination site officially opened today at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City. The site will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. through April 30. It receives its own allocation of the Pfizer vaccine directly from the federal government (separately from the city’s allocation) and has a capacity to vaccinate as many as 6,000 people per day.

The site is operating by appointment only with no walk-ups accepted. Philadelphians from phases 1A and 1B who have completed the city’s COVID-19 Vaccine Interest form are receiving invitations to register for an appointment at the site. (Check out this report by WHYY on how vaccine appointment invitation links sent out by email to eligible individuals were shared with ineligible folks who were also able to register for an appointment. The city has canceled those ineligible appointments and is working on fixing this issue for future appointments).  Continue Reading

The number of COVID vaccine doses coming to Philadelphia is about to increase considerably, according to the city’s Department of Public Health’s announcement. As was reported earlier, a new FEMA-run mass COVID vaccination site is expected to open in Philadelphia Convention Center as early as March 3rd. The site will be receiving its own allocation of vaccine doses, about 42,000 a week, directly from the federal government and separately from Philadelphia’s allocation. The site will operate from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days per week, for at least the next six weeks, by appointment only (read more here).

As of this week, Philadelphia’s allocation is 28,000 first doses a week, so together with the FEMA-run site, the city will be able to administer more than a double of the current amount of doses to residents.  Continue Reading

UPDATE (2/26/2021): All of the available slots are booked for this Saturday’s clinic. Penn Medicine will be hosting another vaccination clinic next week – on March 6th. Stay tuned for more information.

(2/25/2021): West and Southwest Philadelphia residents who are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (Phases 1A and 1B of COVID vaccine distribution) are invited this Saturday, Feb. 27 to a mass vaccination clinic that will be held at the Francis Myers Rec Center (58th and Kingsessing).

Those who live in the following zip codes are eligible to get vaccinated at this clinic: 19104, 19131, 19139, 19142, 19143, 19151, 19153.

The clinic will be open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Registration is required. Please text READY to (267) 263-7464 to register for the clinic. Continue Reading

More details have been provided about the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the University of the Sciences (USciences), one of three new mass vaccination sites run by the city’s Department of Public Health.

The site will be open twice a week starting this week and will administer vaccine doses to eligible residents who had pre-registered on the COVID-19 Vaccine Interest website or by phone: (215) 685-5488. The department will send out invitations to people by email or call about scheduling an appointment.

The site will offer first doses of the vaccine on one day and second doses on the other day of operation. The Health Department is planning to vaccinate about 500 people per day at each site, gradually increasing the amount to up to 3,000 doses per week.  Continue Reading

The mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the City’s Convention Center, which was previously run by the controversial Philly Fighting COVID organization and then by the City’s Department of Public Health, will soon have a new operator. FEMA will take over the site in early March, according to today’s announcement by Philadelphia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.

The center is expected to open on March 3rd and to administer several thousand vaccine shots per day. Since FEMA is a federally-run organization it is expected to receive its own allocation of vaccine doses directly from the federal government and not use any from the city’s general allocation, which also comes from the federal government, according to today’s announcement. This will help increase the number of vaccinations administered in the city. Currently, Philadelphia is receiving about 25,000 COVID vaccine doses per week.  Continue Reading

Rev. William Shaw, pastor of White Rock Baptist Church in West Philadelphia, at Saturday’s mass COVID vaccine clinic.

A mass COVID-19 vaccine clinic was held this past Saturday at the Church of Christian Compassion in West Philadelphia where 500 clergy and parishioners from the local faith community received the first dose of the vaccine. The clinic was organized by Penn Medicine and Mercy Catholic Medical Center – Mercy Philadelphia Campus, who have partnered with a coalition of religious and community leaders from Southwest Philadelphia.

The event was the first of three planned vaccination events in partnership with the local faith community.

Mercy Catholic Medical Center in Philadelphia, which is located at 54th and Cedar, is partnering with Penn Medicine and the local faith community to “bring vaccination opportunities directly to our West Philadelphia neighbors,” according to president Chris Cullom.  Continue Reading