Just a few county-run vaccination sites will be open this weekend as San Diego waits for delayed shipments to arrive sometime next week. Some San Diegans told NBC 7 they’ve been trying to snag last-minute appointments for the Moderna vaccine.
“It’s been stressful. It’s been a stressful time,” Allan May said. His mom’s second vaccination appointment at Petco Park was canceled because of shipment delays. “I was just a little concerned because I didn’t know how soon she’d get in there.”
May said his mom’s appointment was expected to be rescheduled, but just to be safe they immediately started looking for alternate options.
“Luckily, she went to CVS.com and there were San Diego appointments magically there,” May explained.
But those CVS appointments didn’t last long.
“She knew she was lucky,” May said.
According to the county, operations at the Petco Park vaccination superstation will be paused for a second day in a row Saturday. It could remain closed through Monday depending on when they get that long-awaited vaccine shipment.
Even smaller-scale clinics were out of Moderna vaccines right before the weekend.
“Just yesterday, my dad called me at 10 p.m. and he said, ‘Oh the doctor said they don’t have enough supply’, and I was like, ‘Woah, that was unanticipated,’” said Bindi Sharma, who explained unlike county sites, the private clinic her parents were going to did not offer to reschedule their second dose appointments.
“It was just, OK – you’re probably going to have to go find it somewhere else,” said Sharma.
She told NBC 7 that Palomar Health was her last hope, with a few appointments available Friday night for Saturday, but unfortunately, they booked up too fast.
“I feel like I was left at square one after all the hours spent following different internet sites,” said Sharma. Nonetheless, she said she’s trying to stay hopeful that her parents will get their second dose as the next shipment of vaccines roll in.
The county’s website shows Pfizer vaccine appointments are still available at some Sharp vaccine sites this weekend.
The federal government said it is ramping up efforts to get delayed doses to designated vaccination sites by the end of next week.