- April 23, 2024
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The state of Florida will unveil an online appointment system this coming week, according to the Florida Department of Health in Flagler County. Residents who have signed up for the county's COVID-19 appointment callback list will be integrated into the new website and do not need to sign up on their own.
The callback list has swelled to approximately 27,000 people, said Florida Department of Health-Flagler Health Officer Bob Snyder. Flagler has approximately 36,000 residents over the age of 65, and health department staff will be trained on the new state appointment system, called Sharecare, this coming week so they can help residents who need assistance.
"We've got this huge waiting list of people expressing interest, and yet so far we’ve only received 2,500 first doses," Snyder said, "so that really puts into perspective the significant gap between demand and supply." "
He added, "We are hopeful that the new administration and Congress pass the laws and funding necessary to provide 100 million doses within the first 100 days of the new administration, because that is really what we need: We need inventory. We need vaccines to give out."
The Florida Department of Health in Flagler County has given 2,500 residents their first dose of the Moderna vaccine, and has now received a shipment of 1,200 second doses and started giving second doses to emergency services and fire department staff and healthcare workers, Snyder said.
The department will be giving 800 people their first dose on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29, and another 531 people will receive second doses on Jan. 30.
People who received their first dose between Dec. 29 and Jan. 11 will be contacted by county emergency management about their second doses, while those who received their initial shot after Jan. 12 can check the back of their vaccination card for the date of their second dose, Florida Department of Health-Flagler Communications Manager Gretchen Smith said.
The health department has two vaccination teams operating at the county fairgrounds to vaccinate people who've made an appointment, and plans to add two mobile teams that can fan out across the county and vaccinate people at community centers, churches and other facilities, Snyder said.
Health department staff and volunteers can vaccinate 1,000 people a day — when they have enough vaccine. How many doses Flagler receives is determined at the state level, and local staff don't know until the Friday of one week how many they'll receive on the Monday of the following week.
Vaccine appointments are limited to Florida residents (regardless of county). Snowbirds are eligible, but those with an out-of-state drive's license must provide evidence, such as a lease, showing that they reside in Florida for at least 31 consecutive days per year, Smith said.
Snyder noted that COVID-19 case numbers remain high.
"We’re still seeing an increase in positive cases, positivity rates, hospitalizations for COVID. ... I’m not sure if we've peaked yet from the Christmas and New Year's holiday period," Snyder said. "We’re still doing case investigation, contact tracing and community testing for COVID in a significant way. That activity has not decreased. So we still can’t stress enough the continuing importance of social distancing and mask wearing. The prevalence of the virus is still at high levels in our community and elsewhere around the state."
