ARIZONA, USA — Editor's note: The above video aired during a previous broadcast.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said appointments will no longer be required for anyone looking to get a COVID-19 vaccine at state-run sites.
The announcement made Tuesday said the change was made due to the high capacity at state-run COVID-19 vaccination sites.
The department stressed that making an appointment is still the best way to complete a vaccination appointment as quickly as possible.
“The appointment numbers clearly suggest that we’ve accommodated a large share of Arizonans who are able to schedule appointments well in advance,” Director Dr. Cara Christ said in a statement.
“State-run sites continue to vaccinate many thousands every day, and there is now room for those who simply want to walk in at their convenience.”
Locations and hours of state-run COVID-19 vaccination sites in the Valley, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff are available at azdhs.gov/FindVaccine.
This website also lists the growing number of other locations offering vaccination, including pharmacies and federally qualified health centers.
State sites will continue operating in the coming weeks and an increasing supply of vaccine will allow a greater shift to locations further into communities, including pop-up clinics in neighborhood locations and at employers.
Since the COVID-19 vaccine first arrived in Arizona back in December, 29% of Arizonans have rolled up their sleeve to get fully vaccinated against the virus.
But demand for the shot is slowing down.
Appointments used to be hard to come by, but for this week alone, the Arizona Department of Health Services has more than 45,000 appointments at state sites in the Valley.
The seven-day averages of the number of people getting their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine have been trending down for the last two weeks.
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