Dear Friend --

I'm proud to report that in just six weeks, more than 56,000 vaccine doses have been administered in the City of Long Beach, including 8,000 second doses. That means tens of thousands of health care workers, older adults, emergency workers, food service workers and educators have been vaccinated and will be better protected against COVID-19, and in turn, will better protect our greater community.

We have set up multiple vaccine sites throughout the city to make this happen. At CSULB, educators continue to receive their first doses. At Memorial Medical Center, our older adults are being vaccinated. And for those scheduled for their second dose, the Long Beach Convention Center is up and running with drive-thru and walk-up vaccination options.

This week we launched our mobile vaccine clinics. We consciously check our data as we go, and are committed to serving the community equitably – even if that means we need to take the vaccine directly to neighborhoods that need it most. These mobile clinics will ensure low-income seniors, folks who aren't able to access the internet, and those who primarily speak a language other than English get vaccinated when it’s their turn. I’ve said time and time again – Long Beach is committed to equity, and our vaccination process will be no different. We are going to continue to innovate and deliver these vaccines in a way that meets our communities where they are at.

If you haven't done so yet, please be sure to visit VaxLB by clicking here to sign up. This will help us keep you updated on where we are with vaccinations, be notified for when your turn is up to get the vaccine and help us know who in Long Beach still needs a vaccine. The site and sign-up form are available in English, Spanish, Tagalog and Khmer.

For those waiting for their second dose, we have started to send notifications about second appointments to those who received their initial vaccination before January 16. If you were first vaccinated after January 16, please continue to wait for an email from the Long Beach Health Department with your appointment opportunity. You do not need to call to check on the status.

We've continued to make great progress on our vaccine rollout and Long Beach has received national attention for our work. In case you missed it, The New York Times featured our city’s vaccination efforts just last week.

Thank you to all those who continue to do their part to keep each other safe. And especially to our tireless health care and other frontline workers who are doing all they can to take care of us. 

Thank you and stay safe,

Mayor Robert Garcia