PIMA COUNTY, Jan. 13, 2021 – Pima County, in partnership with TMC HealthCare, Banner and the University of Arizona, will move into prioritized Phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations on Jan. 15.
This means the following groups are now eligible for vaccinations:
- People 75 and older
- Protective service occupations (law enforcement, corrections, firefighters, and other emergency response staff)
- Education and childcare providers (K-12 and higher education teachers and all associated educational staff)
Vaccinations are slated to begin Friday at Tucson Medical Center for seniors over 75 years of age. Registration and scheduling for the other groups are expected early next week and vaccines will be available at Kino Sports Complex and Tucson Convention Center. Banner also will be converting its 1A vaccination site at the UA Cancer Center, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., to 1B on Jan. 15.
Seniors over 75 can register at www.pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration, or call 520-594-5684 for registration assistance (beginning at 1 p.m. Jan 14). TMC has two options available for seniors: a drive-thru facility and in-hospital vaccination clinc. Combined, TMC will be able to vaccinate up to 2,000 people per week day.
The drive-thru vaccination site, in Lot 29 in the northwest corner of the complex, is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday 8 a.m. to noon. The hospital site, in the Marshall Conference Center on the east side, is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Only people with appointments can get vaccinated. Walk-ins are not accepted.
“We are proud to be partnering with Pima County to provide this much needed vaccine to the most vulnerable in our community,” said Judy Rich, President and CEO of TMC HealthCare. “The light is getting brighter at the end of the tunnel.”
In accordance with the County’s accelerated COVID-19 vaccination plan, the County is in the process of establishing three other Regional Vaccination Centers, at Kino Sports Complex in partnership with Banner – UMC South, at Tucson Convention Center, in partnership with the City of Tucson, and at the University of Arizona, in partnership with the UA Health Sciences Center. Those three are all scheduled to open to 1B vaccinations next week.
Plans are in the works for another center at Rillito Regional Park and in Green Valley in early February.
The County is encouraging different 1B priority groups to use different points of distribution.
Those 75 and older are encouraged to be vaccinated at the hospital-based points of distribution at TMC, Kino and the Cancer Center. The TCC will serve as the main site for the protective services group, while those in the education group are encouraged to use the UA vaccination center.
Registration information for the other sites will be announced and made available at www.pima.gov/covid19vaccine at a later time.
“Our emphasis at the beginning will be for those 85 and older, because we know that group has the highest mortality rate if infected with COVID-19,” said Dr. Francisco Garcia, Pima County’s Chief Medical Officer and Deputy County Administrator. “This is just the beginning of a robust county effort to vaccinate everyone in the county who wants to be. We appreciate everyone’s patience while we have worked through the enormous logistical complexities of standing up multiple vaccination sites capable of dispensing thousands of shots per day.”
Find further information about eligibility, updated vaccination numbers, FAQs and more at pima.gov/covid19vaccine.
MEDIA CONTACT: Mark B. Evans, Pima County Communications Director, 520-369-9123, mark.b.evans@pima.gov; Pima County Health Communications, healthcommunications@pima.gov; Angela Pittenger, TMC Communications, angela.pittenger@tmcaz.com
MEDIA PHOTO/VIDEO/INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY:
Pima County and TMC have arranged for three members of the public who meet the 1B priority eligibility – a person over age 75 (and over age 85), an educator, and a protective services employee – for interviews and photography/videography of them getting the vaccine.
The three will get their vaccinations at TMC walk-thru vaccination center in the Marshal Center at 7:30 a.m., Jan. 15. Please arrive by 7:15 so that we can start with vaccinations at 7:30. (The Marshal Center entrance is on the east side of TMC facing Craycroft Road).
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