In the wake of record-high cases of COVID-19 in Maricopa County in January, the City of Tempe continues to offer free vaccinations and booster shots at area schools and other venues.
The highly contagious Omicron variant has been tapped as a main cause of the spread, with a 35 percent positivity rate in Maricopa County in January and cases peaking at more than 13,000 a day. Officials say this number may be higher because it might not include many of those who tested at home.
Although cases began to decline slightly in mid-January, officials say the best way to help reduce the spread is by getting vaccinated.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control that studied COVID-19 infections throughout the rise of the Omicron variant showed that those who had been vaccinated and/or had a booster shot were far less likely to get the virus than those who hadn’t been vaccinated.
Upcoming vaccination events for ages five and up for vaccines and 12 and up for boosters include:
- Wednesday, January 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Scales Technology
- Sunday, January 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m — Gililland Middle School
- Saturday, Feb. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Wood Elementary School
- Sunday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Fuller Elementary School
- Saturday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Laird Elementary School
- Sunday, Feb. 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Thew Elementary School
- Sunday, Feb. 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Gililland Middle School
- Tuesday, Feb. 22, 4 to 7 p.m. — TCAA COVID-19
No registration or insurance is required. Find more clinics and vaccine locations at tempe.gov/coronavirus.
For more information, Maricopa County has a page for things to know if you are “sick or were exposed to COVID-19,” including what to do when sick, testing and follow-up care, how to care for someone who is sick and more.
