The mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the City’s Convention Center, which was previously run by the controversial Philly Fighting COVID organization and then by the City’s Department of Public Health, will soon have a new operator. FEMA will take over the site in early March, according to today’s announcement by Philadelphia Public Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.

The center is expected to open on March 3rd and to administer several thousand vaccine shots per day. Since FEMA is a federally-run organization it is expected to receive its own allocation of vaccine doses directly from the federal government and not use any from the city’s general allocation, which also comes from the federal government, according to today’s announcement. This will help increase the number of vaccinations administered in the city. Currently, Philadelphia is receiving about 25,000 COVID vaccine doses per week. 

Beginning Monday, Feb. 22, more mass vaccination clinics are expected to open in the city, including one in West Philadelphia – at the University of the Sciences. People who are eligible to receive a COVID vaccine in Phase 1B of vaccine distribution, which includes senior residents (75 and older), people with high-risk medical conditions, people living and working in congregate settings, and essential workers with high-risk of COVID-19 exposure, can still pre-register on the city-run COVID Vaccine Interest website or by calling 311.

City officials currently expect to continue Phase 1B, which includes about 400,000 people, until the end of April and to begin Phase 1C, which includes other essential workers with lower risk of COVID-19 exposure, in May. Everyone else over the age of 16 (Phase 2) will be able to get vaccinated starting in June, according to current estimates by Philadelphia officials.