Hundreds of people arrived at the Dodger Stadium COVID-19 vaccination site Friday morning, some saying they didn’t know all appointments were canceled because of the shortage in doses.
Los Angeles Fire Department staff were seen driving around letting people know the site was closed.
Some people who showed up to get vaccinated told KTLA they never got a notification about their appointment being moved, and others said they received the messages but couldn’t verify that it was actually from the city.
One woman said she came to the stadium for the appointment just in case.
“Obviously there is a gap in communicating the information,” said Nadia Bhamani. “If we had missed this appointment, I would have no idea what would happen, so better to come over here all the way from Santa Monica and test it out.”
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office confirmed all appointments at city sites were postponed Friday.
All Saturday appointments at city-run sites were also later delayed, Garcetti said.
Those who were meant to receive their shots had their appointments rescheduled automatically, and they should receive a notice of a new date and time when shipments arrive, city officials said. Mobile vaccination sites will not be affected.
About 12,500 COVID-19 vaccination appointments scheduled for Friday in the city were pushed back because of delays in dose shipments due to the severe winter storms across the country, the mayor said Thursday.
Some 26,000 doses meant for L.A. are currently held up in Kentucky, and another 37,000 doses meant for next week’s appointments are sitting in Tennessee.
L.A.’s six vaccination sites include those at Dodger Stadium, Hansen Dam, San Fernando Park, Lincoln Park, Pierce College and the Crenshaw Christian Center.
Officials haven’t announced any weather-related appointment delays at L.A. County-operated vaccine sites, which include the Pomona Fairplex and Six Flags Magic Mountain.
The delays snarl vaccine distribution in the city just as it was beginning to ramp up a slower-than-expected vaccine rollout.
It’s unclear when the appointments will be able to be rescheduled, and the city has yet to confirm when new shipments will arrive.
“Severe weather across the country has disrupted travel and shipping nationwide, including delaying the delivery of our vaccines,” Garcetti said in a written statement. “Our City is ready to administer COVID-19 vaccines swiftly, safely, and equitably — and as soon as doses arrive in Los Angeles, we will get them into people’s arms immediately.”
