PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council voted Wednesday to invest an additional $4.9 million to expand mobile COVID-19 vaccine and testing vans, as well as distributing at-home test kits.
“With the current spike in positive cases, Phoenix has prioritized this limited quantity of supplies for symptomatic or high-risk individuals and frontline workers,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. “We encourage residents who have been exposed to a COVID positive individual, have attended a gathering, have recently traveled, or who are experiencing cold-like symptoms, to pick up a self-test or get tested at a mobile unit or any other testing site. Most importantly, get the vaccine, it saves lives.”
The move comes as recent supplies of at-home testing kits offered by Valley cities have been claimed in just minutes when any become available.
Funding for Phoenix's investment comes from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act and its Strategic Plan Contingency Fund.
The funds will increase availability for the mobile vaccination and testing vans through June 2022.
The city says that in total across 447 mobile events, “184,000 tests and nearly 10,000 vaccinations have been administered.”
As part of the plan, an additional $1.4 million will “fund distribution of at-home testing kits, which will be available on a first come first serve basis.”
According to the city, a maximum of two at-home testing kits will be available per household. Efforts to purchase and distribute the additional kits will begin right away.
Details on when and how distribution will take place are not yet available.