PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ said in a press conference Wednesday that the general public could have the chance to get a COVID-19 vaccine as early April or May.
Dr. Christ appeared at a second-dose vaccine event for Valley religious leaders at the First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix. The group of religious leaders received their first vaccine earlier this month at an event to spread awareness about the importance of the vaccine.
Dr. Christ said as supply allows, they will continue working through priority groups before the general population will have a chance to get the vaccine.
"The vaccine supply is supposed to ramp up between March and April," Dr. Christ said. "So, we should start seeing significant increases in the vaccine. Hopefully, April or May we would be able to bring in the general population."
Dr. Christ noted that if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine clears all regulatory hurdles, the first doses could arrive in Arizona soon.
"If it goes through the entire process over the next couple of days...we anticipate having it in Arizona next week, as quickly as that," she said. "We know that there's not going to be a lot of Johnson & Johnson vaccine at first, it's going to take a while to ramp up the production, but looking at where are the best places to get that out to."
Watch Dr. Cara Christ's update on the latest COVID vaccination efforts in the player below:
Dr. Christ says general public could have chance to get Covid vaccine in April/May.
— Mike Pelton (@MikePeltonABC15) February 24, 2021
Newly announced state-run site at Chandler-Gilbert CC will start at 2k appts per day. Supply depending, could ramp up significantly by end of March/April @abc15 pic.twitter.com/YxYAsgnD2H