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Starting Saturday, Facebook will convert part of its Menlo Park headquarters into a vaccination clinic for eligible residents of Belle Haven, East Palo Alto and North Fair Oaks.
“We are really excited to open our doors for community members to come and get vaccinated,” Ashley Quintana, public policy manager for Facebook, said in an interview.
On Saturday, April 10, from 12:30 to 4 p.m., Facebook will host the first such clinic at Building 28 at its headquarters, located at 164 Jefferson Drive in Menlo Park. No appointments are needed and registration opens at 11:30 a.m.
Vaccines will be provided to people who are eligible based on existing criteria in San Mateo County, which includes those who are ages 50 and older, have high-risk medical conditions or are disabled, are homeless or live in group homes or work in the following sectors: health care, public safety, education, child care, grocery, restaurant, agriculture, transportation or janitorial. The site will also be used to provide second doses to Belle Haven residents who have already received their first vaccinations, according to Quintana.
In addition, shuttles will be provided to transport people to appointments every 30 minutes from East Palo Alto, Belle Haven and North Fair Oaks. Access the shuttle schedule and directions to Building 28 here.
The effort is a public-private partnership between Facebook, local nonprofits like Belle Haven Action and Nuestra Casa, the Ravenswood Family Health Center, San Mateo County and the cities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, Quintana said.
Quintana said that, as a person of Latinx descent who is from the community, “This is really close to my heart.”
“The partnership with the clinic is a great way to make sure we are serving the communities that need it most,” she said.
Facebook has also partnered with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and nine nonprofits to support pop-up vaccine clinics in the Central Valley, Inland Empire, San Diego and south central Los Angeles.
In addition, the company plans to give ad credits to nonprofits and trusted organizations in California to help underserved communities access vaccine appointments.
The initiative aims to provide vaccinations to 10,000 people in the first several weeks, depending on supply, according to a Facebook statement.
“As more COVID-19 vaccines roll out across the country, we are finally seeing glimmers of hope, which can grow so long as we continue to make progress,” Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said in a statement. “I hope that everyone will get vaccinated once they’re eligible to protect themselves and their loved ones, so we can bring an end to the pandemic.”
Access a flyer for the clinic in multiple languages below:
Find comprehensive coverage on the Midpeninsula’s response to the new coronavirus by Palo Alto Online, the Mountain View Voice and the Almanac here.