ADHS Will Now Schedule 2nd Vaccine Appointments During 1st Visits

PHOENIX — After many Arizonans had trouble making appointments for their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine, the state is streamlining the process.

Now, any Arizonan who visits State Farm Stadium or Phoenix Municipal Stadium for their first dose will be able to make appointments for their second dose. Arizona Department of Health Services officials said in a news release that they hope the change will streamline the vaccination process and clear up any confusion.

“After standing up this site in just a matter of days, we have been working non-stop to improve the registration process, including for second dose appointments,” ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ said in a statement. “We’re heard great feedback from Arizonans receiving their vaccine at State Farm Stadium — and this improvement will make the experience even better. More improvements are on the way, including upgrades to the vaccine registration website to make getting a COVID-19 vaccine even easier.”

As of Wednesday morning, more than 84,000 people have been vaccinated since the State Farm site opened on Jan. 11. Phoenix Municipal is set to open on Feb. 1. Both sites are fully booked out through January. Officials announced Wednesday that the state has administered over half a million vaccines.

Every person vaccinated at a state site is guaranteed a second dose despite limited doses from the federal government, according to ADHS. For anyone who received their first dose at State Farm Stadium prior to this change, they will still need to schedule a second dose appointment. An email has been sent out to all who have received one dose to register for the second.

ADHS acknowledged that some Arizonans have reported not receiving the email at all. The department recommends checking the spam folder first, but anyone who still has not received an email will be contacted by ADHS this week to schedule their second dose appointment.

The coronavirus help hotline is also open at (844) 542-8201. Registration can also be done online.

The change comes just one day after Gov. Doug Ducey issued a new advisory to speed up the state's vaccination plan. The new rules would require health care providers to report vaccination data to the state and would allow Arizona health officials to reallocate unused doses to areas in need.

Arizona continues to report the highest coronavirus infection rate in the U.S. The state recorded 5,918 new cases and 195 additional deaths Wednesday.