As the nation begins to expand COVID-19 vaccine availability to more and more individuals, the need for additional space to perform these services can become a challenge. First and foremost, dedicating space at the hospital may not be the best-case scenario. Many hospital campuses are quite large and have limited parking. Providing ample wayfinding from where the available parking may be to the available clinic space can be its own challenge. Another issue is the accessibility of the hospital to the community at large.
While many organizations will make the effort to reach out to their community to resolve these issues, another option has become available that many might not be aware of. In a letter to President Biden dated January 26, 2021, AEG, Bandit Lites, Broadway League, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Live Nation, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), Oak View Group (OVG), and We Make Events formally offered their venues, staff and expertise to the COVID-19 vaccination effort.
One hospital in Philadelphia that has taken advantage of this opportunity is Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, which took Live Nation up on the offer to use Theatre Theater of Living Arts on South Street as a dedicated vaccination clinic. Penn Medicine is vaccinating approximately 400 people a day at this location. Regarding the partnership with the theater Jeff O’Neill, senior director, facilities, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Medicine stated, “This has been a great connection to the community and a familiar venue that has generated a lot of enthusiasm from patients and staff alike.”
To view a photo essay and to read more about how this vaccination clinic is helping Philadelphians take ‘a step to some sort of normalcy,” visit this link to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
