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Opening day for COVID vaccine at Levi’s Stadium

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Updated  February 9, 2021 6:52pm PST
Coronavirus Vaccine
KTVU FOX 2

Opening day for COVID vaccines at Levi’s Stadium

It was opening day at Levi's Stadium; not for football but for COVID-19 mass vaccinations.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It was opening day at Levi's Stadium; not for football but for COVID-19 mass vaccinations.

Tuesday afternoon's events were designed to ramp up vaccine administration for as many shots as the medical team can get their hands on.

For the recipients, it will be either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, the only ones allowed so far, but with others to come pending official approval.

The mass vaccination site is California's largest. But, for now, vaccine seekers must have an appointment, just as two retirees Mary and Tom Donahue of Sunnyvale have.

"We kept checking online and came up being able to sign up for an appointment. When? Monday? Yeah, yesterday and we got on and got one of the first appointments," said 77-year-old Mary Donahue.

But this is only shot number one. "I didn't know that until this morning. I never realized. So, I guess we're gonna get two and maybe, three or four. I don't know," said 80 year old Tom Donahue.

Initially, 5,000 does a day will be injected. But, when vaccine supplies are sufficient, the maximum capacity will be 15,000 injections a day and likely, fewer restrictions.

"The goal is to design a system which has only one limitation and that's supply," said Governor Gavin Newsom. Dodger Stadium in L.A., Disneyland in Anaheim, Petco Park in San Diego will soon be joined by Cal Expo in Sacramento, Cal State Los Angeles, the Oakland A's Coliseum and a Central Valley site, most likely in Fresno.

In addition, local clinics and local pharmacies statewide will be getting increased vaccine supplies.

"Vaccinations now averaging just shy of 175,000 doses being administered on a daily basis. That's the seven-day average," said the governor.

Alice Thippavong, one the early birds here, says she knows she must be cautious for a long time to come. "I do understand that it's not effective right away. It takes as long as five weeks, from what I understand, to get the full benefit of the vaccine," said Ms. Thipphavong.

Given all the political pressure on the Biden administration and especially the governor, feeling some recall heat, expect the shot totals to rise rapidly.