The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has partnered with the L.A. County Department of Public Health to open a public vaccination site at its El Monte Station on June 1, making it the fourth such site opened on the Metro public transit system.
Beginning June 1, the El Monte Station vaccination site will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from noon until 7 p.m. The station is a key transit hub that connects the San Gabriel Valley to downtown Los Angeles and serves Metro Bus lines, as well as Foothill Transit, El Monte Transit and Greyhound.
In addition to traditional transit, the vaccination site is also served by Metro Micro’s El Monte service zone, which operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Riders in the service zone can hail shared rides to the vaccination site through the Metro Micro app or Metro’s official Transit app, or by calling 323-GO-METRO.
Riders going to and from the vaccination site at the El Monte Station can ride for free by using the promo code “VAXELMONTE” when they hail a Metro Micro ride. Riders will get up to four free rides in the El Monte service zone with the promo code to account for trips to receive two vaccination doses.
“The opening of this site in El Monte, which I am so proud to represent, will serve as a beacon of hope for commuters in the San Gabriel Valley,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair and Metro Vice Chair Hilda L. Solis. “However, our efforts will not stop here. We will continue to identify opportunities to better serve communities throughout the County where there is the greatest need to ensure that there is free, easy and equitable access to vaccinations.”
The site is in the main El Monte Station plaza, directly in front of the main station at 3501 Santa Anita Ave., El Monte, CA 91731. Appointments can be made by visiting https://vaccine.fulgentgenetics.com/. The site will also accept walk-ups.
Both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available at the El Monte Station site, with Pfizer available to everyone 12 years and older (children require a parent or guardian present) and the Johnson & Johnson available to everyone 18 years and older. The vaccines are free, and no insurance or citizenship documentation is required.
Metro’s Office of Equity and Race spearheaded this effort to ensure a more equitable recovery by identifying communities of need and offering convenient access to free vaccines at Metro transit sites in those communities. For additional information on Metro’s Office of Equity and Race, please visit https://lbt-preprod.la-metro-web.net/projects/resources/equity/.
“Providing free vaccinations at Union Station highlights Metro’s dedication to improving equity, health and safety for those who need it most in our community,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “While we’ve made progress in combating this pandemic, we’re not there yet and we owe it to everyone in Los Angeles County to ensure that we make it as easy as possible to access these vital services, particularly those in communities where access to vaccinations may be more difficult. We plan to continue expanding access to vaccines by utilizing key transit locations to help ensure a truly equitable recovery.”
The El Monte site joins three other vaccination sites on the Metro transit system – the C Line’s (Green) Crenshaw/105 Station in Hawthorne, the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena, and the A Line’s (Blue) Del Amo Station in Los Angeles – in serving zip codes identified by Gov. Gavin Newsom as having high rates of COVID-19 cases and low vaccination rates.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is currently providing lifeline service for essential trips and frontline workers. Metro continues building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan.
Metro has proudly pledged to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Health and Safety Commitment Program to help ensure the safe return of transit riders as the U.S. recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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