Jan 13, 2021 - Sports

Sports stadiums are being used as coronavirus vaccine hubs

Illustration of a foam syringe a la a sports foam finger

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

In the fall, America's sports stadiums became voting centers and COVID-19 testing sites. Now, they're being used for another purpose: vaccine distribution.

The big picture: Thanks to their size, accessibility and sprawling parking lots, sports venues can handle large groups of people and long lines of cars, making them an ideal distribution partner for cities.

  • Houston: Nearly 4,000 people were vaccinated Saturday at Minute Maid Park (Astros).
  • Los Angeles: Dodger Stadium will provide shots to as many as 12,000 people per day this week.
  • New York: Citi Field (Mets) will become a 24/7 "mega" vaccination site by the end of the month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.
  • Boston: Gillette Stadium (Patriots) is the state's first mass vaccination site.
  • Phoenix: A parking lot outside State Farm Stadium (Cardinals) has been transformed into a 24/7 drive-thru vaccination site.
  • San Diego: A "super station" has been constructed at Petco Park (Padres), where the goal is to vaccinate 5,000 healthcare workers per day.
  • Miami: Hard Rock Stadium (Dolphins) has doubled as a vaccination hub, though it closed on Monday for the CFP National Championship.
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