L.A. resumes COVID-19 vaccinations, with priority to those who lost appointments

Los Angeles is resuming vaccination appointments after several days of postponements and delays driven by inclement weather.

Several of the city’s large-scale sites — including Dodger Stadium, Hansen Dam Recreation Area, San Fernando Park, Lincoln Park, Pierce College and Crenshaw Christian Center, were forced to close late last week when shipments containing at least 63,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were held up amid winter storms battering much of the country.

With 92,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine arriving in Los Angeles, the city can now resume vaccinations and “meet its commitment” to provide second-dose appointments as well as a limited number of first doses this week, the city said in a statement.

By early Tuesday morning, the line at Dodger Stadium had already begun to form.

Those whose appointments were canceled Friday or Saturday will be prioritized, officials said, and should have received updated appointment details by late Monday. Residents who received their first dose at a city site between Jan. 24 and 30 will receive their second-dose appointment details by the end of Tuesday.

“Our city’s vaccination teams are ready to make up for lost time and get doses into people’s arms quickly, safely and equitably,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said Sunday.

The majority of the new shots will be prioritized for second doses, according to the city, although about 3,750 first doses will be allocated for distribution at Pierce College. More first-dose appointments may become available if the city receives additional supplies.

Sites operated by Los Angeles County, including the Pomona Fairplex, the Forum in Inglewood, Cal State Northridge, the county Office of Education, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Balboa Sports Complex and El Sereno Recreation Center, were not affected by the weather delays.

The delays also did not affect L.A.’s new mobile outreach initiative to bring vaccines directly into hard-hit communities, the city said, noting that mobile teams have already administered more than 4,600 doses across sites in South and East L.A.

A new state report reveals wide racial disparities in vaccine distribution, and Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state had a responsibility to “do more” to balance distribution.

Each mobile clinic in Los Angeles has the capacity to vaccinate 200 people per day. Operations will expand this week to include two additional mobile teams, the city said, with the aim to administer up to 4,000 first doses across sites in Vermont Square, Pico-Union, Chinatown, Van Nuys and Boyle Heights.

“With new shipments comes a renewed sense of determination to vaccinate as many Angelenos as possible,” Garcetti said, “and move closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.”