PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia residents will soon have a second city managed and state and federally supported Community Vaccination Center (CVC) where they can receive the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine. This site will be in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia at Esperanza, Inc. located at 5th Street and Hunting Park Ave. It will be equipped to deliver 1500–2,500 vaccinations per day. The site is expected to open the week of April 5th, and the City will announce the specific date once it is confirmed.
This site was selected using a collaborative and data-driven approach, which includes analysis of the CDC’s social vulnerability index and input from state and local partners. This approach places an emphasis on improving vaccine access and equity in underserved communities. The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management selected the Esperanza CVC for federal support based on several reasons:
- Philadelphia Department of Public Health Vaccine Data show that 19140, where Esperanza is located, is a Zip Code in the bottom third of vaccinations in the City and central to the other Zip Codes in the lowest third (https://www.phila.gov/programs/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/vaccines/data/)
- Esperanza fits all vaccine site criteria to include size, infrastructure, accessibility, and availability for a seven day a week operation
- Accessibility includes both ADA compliance and mass transit accessibility as well as proximity to Roosevelt Boulevard and I-95
- The facility is a trusted institution and partner in a Latin American community in Philadelphia
- More than 830,000 Philadelphians of all ages live within 5 miles of this site
The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management is working with SEPTA to provide additional transportation options intended to improve the access to the site and make it easier for Philadelphia residents to get vaccinated there.
The site location is Esperanza Charter High School 4261 N 5th St. Philadelphia, PA 19140
Appointment scheduling will be managed by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health using the city’s existing Vaccine Interest Form. If residents do not have internet access, have issues filling out the online form, or need the form in an additional language, they should call 3-1-1. This site will also offer a mix of open access or walk-in opportunities to help improve access to Philadelphia’s most vulnerable and underserved communities. Staff at the site will be equipped to assist residents in many different languages or with any access and functional needs. This site will be managed by the City of Philadelphia with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. FEMA staff, as well as members of the Pennsylvania National Guard will deploy to support this new vaccination site. The goal of establishing this site is to continue expanding the rate of vaccinations in the City of Philadelphia in an efficient, effective, and equitable manner, with a focus on communities with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection. This site is in addition to, and in support of, Philadelphia’s existing network of vaccine distribution sites which include the federally supported Center City Vaccination Center.
FEMA and federal partners are planning to support this site by providing staff, operational assistance, and logistical support. This support is being provided at the request of the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The City of Philadelphia will provide the vaccines from its current federal allocation and will determine the amount of vaccines doses delivered to this site.
“I am thrilled to see the federal government continue to step up to the plate and support us to help protect every Philadelphian,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “This new vaccination center is particularly important because it will allow us to better reach under-vaccinated populations, particularly residents of color in Franklinville and surrounding communities. I also want to thank the team at Esperanza for their support in standing up the new clinic. The collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners has been strong throughout this response to allow us to address the needs of Philadelphians. We're looking forward to getting past COVID-19 and these historic challenges, together.”
“We could not be more excited to see a new major throughput site, like a FEMA Type II vaccination clinic, set up in Philadelphia,” said Philadelphia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.
“We have three goals for distributing vaccine: do it fast, do it so we can save the most lives, and do it equitably. A site like this, in this neighborhood, is a big step toward achieving those goals.”
Janice Barlow, FEMA Region 3 Acting Administrator, noted the mission focus in Philadelphia, “FEMA is committed to supporting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and City of Philadelphia in the equitable, efficient and timely distribution of vaccines and our top priority is to ensure everyone who wants a vaccine gets one. Expanding federal support to another community vaccination center in a particularly hard-hit Philadelphia community will help make that happen.”
For more information about the City of Philadelphia’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, please visit www.phila.gov/health
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
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