Yuma Civic Center gearing up for next round of vaccinations for kids ages 12-15

News 11's Adonis Albright speaks with the state-supported POD site to learn more about the preparations underway

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave the final green light for the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine to be administered to kids ages 12 to 15. Following the news, vaccination sites across Arizona, including the state-supported POD site at the Yuma Civic Center, are preparing for the next wave of vaccinations.

Related: CDC advisers vote to recommend use of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine in 12-15-year-olds

"We do anticipate to see a little bit of a surge in patient volume, especially walk-ins. So we do want to make sure that we’re adjusting our staffing so that way the experience that everybody has come to recognize & expect will continue to be what they receive", said Kristina McNair, the Director of Project Management and Continuous Improvement with Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC).

The state-supported POD site also recently announced changes to its hours of operation from Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The clinic cited a decline in the number of coronavirus vaccines being booked, including certain days where turnout was drastically lower than others.

"What we found after operating those hours over several weeks is that although patients appreciate the evening of 5 to 6 p.m., 7 and beyond we were not seeing much foot traffic at all. So in an effort to be good stewards of the resources that we're given, and making sure we're available when the community wants us to be available, we worked with the state to determine what were those optimal hours of operation."

All children will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and will need to fill out a consent and attestation form. No photo ID is necessary. Appointments will be available first thing at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. To book an appointment, click here. Or you can dial 1-844-542-8201 to schedule an appointment.

The clinic is reminding the public it's also taking walk-ins if you are unable to secure an appointment.