What was once “the happiest place on Earth” is now making waves as a Covid vaccination supersite, hoping it’ll bring some relief to the suffering country.
On Monday, a press release announced that the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California would receive a medical make-over as a “super POD” vaccination site. This will be the first supersite in the country and, according to the press release, will have the “capacity to vaccinate thousands of residents each day.”
America is one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic, reporting nearly 3,000 daily deaths and with 1 in 15 people estimated to have the virus.
Mayor of Anaheim Harry Sidhu announced the news to the public, revealing his hope for the vaccine. “With this super site, we will begin to overcome [a public health crisis and an economic crash]. Every vaccination done in Anaheim will help to save lives and speed the reopening and recovery of our city.”
Disneyland when Newsom began looking for an eye-catching vaccine super site pic.twitter.com/Q4aZEjwfxY
— maya (@princessMayabug) January 12, 2021
The Disneyland Resort, opened in 1955, attracted 358,961 visitors every single week prior to the pandemic. Now, the parkland is eerily quiet but is beginning to reopen its “Downtown Disney District” while the attractions and hotels remain shut.
2,200 people in Orange County have been hospitalised with the virus, as reported on the government’s website. Covid is currently running rampant across California, with a terrifying 380 deaths reported each day. Space and resources are said to be running dangerously low, with vaccination rollouts taking much longer than expected.
The conversion is a much-needed step for the state, as more space accelerates the number of people able to get the vaccine. Other states have followed suit, turning deserted stadiums and fairgrounds into vaccine super spots.
How you get the vaccine at Disneyland.#Disneyland pic.twitter.com/cPyARQmfiQ
— Sanjay Rathee (@San_jay_Rathee) January 12, 2021
In a post on Monday, the Californian Governor’s office said that Dodger Stadium in LA, the CalExpo fairground in Sacramento, and Petco Park will also become “mass administration sites for priority groups.”
This move follows on from an enormous demand by essential workers and senior citizens: the most vulnerable in the midst of the pandemic.
Orange Country is vaccinating first responders, health-care workers, and senior citizens who are in high-risk conditions. Currently, the state will not accept walk-ins but will contact eligible citizens through their employer to schedule an appointment. Only people who have been approved for eligibility will be able to access the vaccine at the “Super POD location.”
