/ Modified jan 22, 2021 2:49 p.m.

Understanding the state’s role in Arizona COVID vaccine distribution

A discussion with Arizona Dept. of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ.

This week the Arizona Department of Health Services opened its second COVID-19 vaccine distribution site at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The first site at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium is also located in Maricopa County. ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ discussed the state’s role in getting people vaccinated, beginning with an update on current trends.

“One of the things that we are starting to see that’s a little bit of a glimmer of hope is we had significant increases after Thanksgiving, after Christmas and after New Year. What we are starting to see is a plateau,” Christ said. “We hope this plateau will translate into decreased cases but we continue to monitor the data.”

Christ also addressed why the department has not opened mass vaccination sites outside of Maricopa County.

“We knew that Maricopa needed some assistance with getting mass vaccination off the ground,” Christ said. “Our preference would be that the county health departments take charge and administer the vaccine in their counties. They know their counties. They know their partners the best.”

She also shared her hopes for ramping up vaccinations in the coming months.

“I would like to see more vaccines being given out more efficiently. We do know that we could speed up that process,” Christ said.

Arizona 360
Arizona 360 airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on PBS 6 and Saturdays at 8 p.m. on PBS 6 PLUS. See more from Arizona 360.
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona