Magic Mountain opens vaccine site, plans to administer over 2K doses a day

A security guard moves cones to direct some of the hundreds vehicles in line at Six Flags Magic Mountain for vaccination shots in Valencia on Tuesday, 011921. Dan Watson/The Signal
Share on facebook
Share
Share on twitter
Tweet
Share on email
Email

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department, working in conjunction with the Fire Department and other agencies, opened the Six Flags Magic Mountain vaccination site Tuesday, one of the five larger vaccination sites put together and opened this week.

And in spite of the windy conditions creating difficulties for the professional health care workers, officials planned to administer 2,400 vaccines Tuesday, with the site capable of as many as 4,000 daily administrations.

Those queuing for anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour at Magic Mountain to receive their doses were all health care workers described as “high risk,” according to Marco Rodriguez, a public information officer for the L.A. County Fire Department.

Hundreds vehicles in line up at the entrance of Six Flags Magic Mountain for vaccination shots in Valencia on Tuesday, 011921. Dan Watson/The Signal

“People are divided into different tiers, and right now it’s the health care workers that are exposed to contaminated surfaces, etc.,” said Rodriguez. “So those are the people that are high risk and getting the vaccine.”

In order to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Magic Mountain, health care workers were told to make their appointment online and confirm their status as a health care professional. Then, once arriving at Magic Mountain, they would need to show some form of identification or proof to site staff to proceed through the line in their vehicles.

At approximately 10:40 a.m., the line of vehicles stretched from the administration site in the parking lots behind Magic Mountain, winding past the perimeter of Hurricane Harbor, and out through the park’s entrance running parallel to the X-2 roller coaster.

Los Angeles County employees check reservations as hundreds of vehicles line up at Six Flags Magic Mountain for vaccination shots in Valencia on Tuesday, 011921. Dan Watson/The Signal

Approximately 200 nurses, health care professionals and Fire Department personnel are working at Magic Mountain to administer the Pfizer vaccine, which will require those receiving their first dose on Tuesday to eventually sign up to receive their second required dose in three weeks, Rodriguez said.

“Depending on the type of vaccine they received, they will be funneled through different sites,” said Rodriguez. “To get it again, they have to go online and register for the second dose, and they’ll be directed to where that will be offered.”

The site is scheduled to be open, as of Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week, with a plan in place for them to expand those hours if need be, Rodriguez said.

Hundreds vehicles line up at Six Flags Magic Mountain for vaccination shots in Valencia on Tuesday, 011921. Dan Watson/The Signal

“We are prepared to provide our parking lot as long as L.A. County needs in order to facilitate vaccination efforts,” said Jerry Certonio, the manager of marketing and public relations for Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor. “As a longtime member of the greater Los Angeles community, Six Flags Magic Mountain is honored to be a COVID-19 vaccination site to help facilitate a broader vaccine distribution in the community, including the Santa Clarita Valley.”

“We do look forward to reopening our parks and offering our guests a safe entertainment experience once again,” Certonio added.

For more information about the vaccine process through L.A. County, visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/covidvaccinedistribution/.

Related To This Story

Latest NEWS