Metrolink and LA County Department of Public Health Launch Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics

Los Angeles - Metrolink and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) are partnering to provide free mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics beginning Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at Metrolink's Palmdale and Lancaster stations.

Vaccinations will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday via walk up or by pre-registering with vaccination provider RemediaCare.

'The Metrolink Board of Directors is pleased that Metrolink can play such a significant role in connecting residents and riders from Palmdale and Lancaster communities to vaccination opportunities within the safety and convenience of our train stations,' said Ara Najarian, Metrolink Board Chair and Glendale Councilmember.

Remedia Care will supply vaccines to anyone age 16 and older that lives or works in LA County, in accordance with Public Health guidelines. The mobile clinics will administer 250 vaccines per site/per day.

Metrolink Board Member and 5th District Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger added: 'Programs like these are critical to facilitating the vaccination rollout to neighborhoods where our most vulnerable populations reside throughout the County to reduce the impact of COVID-19.'

The mobile vaccination campaign is the latest in an ongoing effort by Metrolink and LA County to provide vaccinations to areas that have been hard hit by the pandemic. Metrolink riders can also receive free COVID-19 vaccinations at the Cal State Los Angeles super site that is easily accessible from the Cal State LA Metrolink station on the San Bernardino Line.

'I am pleased to partner with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on such an important endeavor and I thank the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster for helping launch these initial vaccination clinics to stop the coronavirus spread in those communities,' said Metrolink CEO Stephanie Wiggins. 'We hope to identify additional Metrolink station-based vaccination clinics in the coming weeks.'

The last few months have had a consistently low supply of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the county, causing a slower rollout. Starting in April, increased supplies of vaccines have begun to arrive allowing the vaccination process to speed up and offer more coverage across the county. The new mobile vaccination clinics at Metrolink stations come as the county health department is using increases in supply to prioritize hard-hit communities with less access to other health facilities.

'We are thankful to Metrolink for their commitment to expanding vaccination efforts,' said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. 'As vaccine supply increases, partnerships with services such as Metrolink are critical for the county to achieve 80 percent vaccine coverage of people 16 and older within 12 weeks, which would dramatically change the trajectory of the pandemic here in Los Angeles County.'

'Bringing COVID-19 vaccinations directly into a community is critical. We must protect our residents from this virus and ensure equitable distribution,' said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris.

Palmdale Mayor Steven D. Hofbauer added: 'Many Antelope Valley residents rely on public transit and with this collaborative effort, bringing these life-saving vaccines to the Palmdale Metrolink Station makes a significant positive impact on public health.

For more information on vaccination sites located within a three-mile radius of Metrolink stations, please visit our Vaccine Clinic Locator resource.

ABOUT METROLINK (metrolinktrains.com)

Metrolink is Southern California's regional passenger rail service enabling people to connect to their jobs and explore all that the region has to offer. Pre pandemic, Metrolink had nearly 12 million boardings from people who chose to ride the train to avoid gridlock, removing an estimated 9.3 million vehicles from the roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 130,000 metric tons each year. Metrolink is the largest passenger rail agency in California and the third largest in the United States operating seven lines along a 538-mile network that travels across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

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