News Flash

PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 6, 2021) –After providing more than 54,000 vaccinations for K–12 educators, school staff and childcare workers in a span of just ten weeks, Maricopa County Department of Public Health has concluded its targeted Points-of-Dispensing (POD) vaccination program for childcare workers and educators.  This effort vaccinated approximately one-third of all school and childcare workers in Maricopa County.

Maricopa County Public Health prioritized vaccine specifically for these events. Working with public, private and charter school districts, the Arizona School Administrators Association, the Arizona Charter Schools Association, Albertsons/Safeway and Fry’s pharmacies, plus additional support from Honor Health, Abrazo, Embry Health  and hundreds of volunteers, anyone who works in childcare or on-site for a public, private, or charter K-12 school was eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the school POD events.

Twenty-one school districts organized sites for pharmacies and health providers to vaccinate eligible workers within the school districts’ geographic boundaries. The events were scheduled between Thursdays and Sundays to make it easier for working childcare providers and educators to access the vaccine.

“The partnership with public school districts across the county has proven to be a very effective way for us to protect educators and childcare workers,” said Marcy Flanagan, executive director of Maricopa County Department of Public Health. “We are truly thankful for all the work these partners put into this very successful effort that benefitted educators beyond their staff lists alone.”

Key results achieved through the Maricopa County PODs for the valley’s educators:

• 26,036 teachers, childcare workers and other essential education personnel have been fully vaccinated
• 17 districts hosted PODs
• 21 total districts offered vaccine
• 59 events took place across 70 days between Friday, January 22 – Thursday, April 1

While events organized specifically for this group of essential workers have concluded, eligibility at county-run and state-run sites is now open to anyone age 16 and up. School and childcare workers who would like to get vaccinated can make an appointment anywhere vaccine is offered.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, including answers to frequently asked questions and vaccine locations in Maricopa County, visit www.maricopa.gov/COVID19. 

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Host districts included:

1. Agua Fria Union High School District: https://www.aguafria.org
2. Buckeye Union High School District: https://www.buhsd.org
3. Chandler Unified School District: https://www.cusd80.com
4. Deer Valley Unified School District: https://www.dvusd.org
5. Dysart Unified School District: https://www.dysart.org
6. Gila Bend Unified School District: http://www.gbusd.org
7. Gilbert Public Schools: https://www.gilbertschools.net
8. Glendale Union High School District: https://www.guhsdaz.org
9. Higley Unified School District: https://www.husd.org
10. Mesa Public Schools: http://www.mpsaz.org
11. Peoria Unified School District: https://www.peoriaunified.org
12. Phoenix Union: https://az01001825.schoolwires.net/phoenixunion
13. Queen Creek Unified School District: https://www.qcusd.org
14. Saddle Mountain Unified School District: https://www.smusd90.org
15. Tempe Union High School District: https://www.tempeunion.org
16. Tolleson Union High School District: https://www.tuhsd.org
17. Wickenburg Unified School District: https://www.wickenburgschools.org

Other participating education partners included:

1. Arizona Charter Schools Association: https://azcharters.org
2. Arizona School Administrators Association: https://www.azsa.org/
3. Cave Creek Unified School District: https://www.ccusd93.org
4. Fountain Hills Unified School District: https://www.fountainhillsschools.org
5. Paradise Valley Unified School District: https://www.pvschools.net
6. Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix: https://dphx.org/catholic-schools-universities
7. Scottsdale Unified School District: https://www.susd.org