A COVID-19 vaccination and testing site at The Shoppes of Bel Air in hard-hit Mobile was forced to close by the owner of the shopping mall.
“The Mobile County Health Department rented space at The Shoppes of Bel Air for COVID-19 vaccination and testing. In 10 days — August 4 through August 15, 2021 — we vaccinated 1,127 and 4,461 persons were tested for COVID-19,” department spokesman Mark Bryant told APR in a message Monday.
“We were told that the Mall management team received notice from another Mall tenant that our services were negatively impacting their business. We received legal notice on Friday, August 13, and have vacated the space,” Bryant said. “We thank the Mall for making the space available and are disappointed we had to relocate to 248 Cox Street.”
APR‘s attempts to contact the mall’s owner, the New York-based Kohan Retail Investment Group, for comment were unsuccessful. The shopping mall has 112 business tenants, according to the mall’s website.
Mobile’s Infirmary Health on Thursday had the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the state, with more than 300 people being treated at the system’s three Mobile hospitals, according to WKRG 5 News.
Vaccinations are now being administered at the Keeler Memorial Building, located at 251 North Bayou St. in Downtown Mobile, or MCHD’s Newburn Building at 248 Cox St. in Midtown Mobile.
Newburn will be open Monday from 1 to 7 p.m., with normal hours of operation being from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Keeler is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
