2/12/2021

Florida Department of Health Provides Week Nine Updates on Florida’s Vaccination Efforts Under Governor DeSantis’ Leadership

Florida Continues to Add COVID-19 Vaccination Sites Statewide through Strategic Partnerships~

Today, the Florida Department of Health issued an update on the progress of the state's vaccination efforts, as well as its weekly COVID-19 update. The State of Florida is in its ninth week of vaccine distribution and is continuing to increase vaccine access statewide.

Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, the state continues to develop proactive strategies to increase vaccine access to Florida’s seniors.

This week, Governor DeSantis announced the expansion of COVID-19 vaccination sites across the state of Florida through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program sites began offering COVID-19 vaccines Friday, February 12 across 52 counties.

The state of Florida secured these retail partnerships and collaborated to identify strategic locations for each store to ensure maximum reach. For the first week of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the state is expecting to receive 65,300 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Future allocations through this program will be announced as they become available. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program locations are available here.

Through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the state is looking forward to reaching more Floridians and ensuring that all eligible residents who want a vaccine are able to receive one.

Governor DeSantis’ administration is taking the necessary steps to ensure the vaccine gets administered as quickly as possible. This week, new actions to continue Florida’s proactive approach to vaccinations includes the following:

Vaccinations:

To provide Floridians with the latest information about vaccinations in the state, the Florida Department of Health has issued a COVID-19 vaccine report that is updated daily. This report includes information on the COVID-19 vaccine by county, race, sex and age. Find the COVID-19 vaccine report here.

As of today, at 7 a.m., 2,225,304 individuals have been vaccinated for COVID-19 in Florida. 

The Florida Department of Health continues to provide updates on cases, testing, and fatalities related to COVID-19. Please find all daily reports here.

State of Florida Vaccine Accomplishments To-Date:

Week Nine (Underway)

• Governor DeSantis announced that the state’s participation in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, which includes Walmart, Sam’s Club, Southeastern Grocers and Publix Supermarkets. More information is available here.
• Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, the state continues to expand the pilot program to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to homebound seniors. This week, the state continued offering vaccines to Holocaust survivors and veterans of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the soldiers of Brigade 2506. The Governor also directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Health and Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs to identify and offer the vaccine to homebound veterans of World War II and the Korean War who are unable to travel to receive a vaccine. More information on homebound veteran COVID-19 vaccination registration is available here.
• At the Governor’s direction, a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site was opened at the Venice Community Center in Sarasota County. The Venice Community Center began operating on Wednesday, February 10 and administered 1,000 vaccines per day through Friday, February 12 for a total of 3,000 vaccines for Florida’s seniors in the Sarasota County area. Governor DeSantis’ announcement is available here.
• Governor DeSantis also announced a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site at King’s Gate in Charlotte County. From Thursday, February 11 to Saturday, February 13, King’s Gate will administer 1,000 vaccines per day for a total of 3,000 vaccines for Florida’s seniors in the Charlotte County area. Governor DeSantis’ announcement is available here.
• Governor DeSantis announced Florida’s continued momentum on vaccinating Floridians 65 and older. This week, Florida’s official reporting reflected that more than 1.6 million seniors 65 and older have been vaccinated in the state. The state’s COVID-19 vaccine summary report is available here.
• At the Governor’s direction, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Health continue to identify places of worship and other locations in underserved communities where the COVID-19 vaccine may be administered. To date, more than 26,800 individuals have been vaccinated in partnership with places of worship. This week, the state is holding another 12 one-day vaccine events with the faith-based community. All appointments for these locations have been filled and walk-ups will not be accepted. The locations are: 
• Christ Fellowship - 8900 SW 168 St., Palmetto Bay, FL 33157
• Cocoa West Recreation Complex - 230 S. Burnett Rd., Cocoa, FL 32926
• Bible Based Fellowship Church - 4811 Ehrlich Rd., Tampa, FL 33624
• St. Timothy Catholic Church - 5400 SW 102^nd Ave., Miami, FL 33165
• Beulah Baptist Church - 109 McGriff St. NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
• St. Paul A.M.E. Church - 6910 New Kings Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32219
• Bethel Missionary Baptist Church’s Family Life Center - 406 N. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32301
• Iglesia Episcopal Jesús de Nazaret – 26 Willow Drive, Orlando, FL 32807
• Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E. – 1045 16^th Street S., St. Petersburg, FL 33705
• South County Regional Park – 670 Cooper St., Punta Gorda, FL 33950
• Ft. Myers Stars Complex – 2980 Edison Ave., Ft. Myers, FL 33916
• Igelisa Cristiana Renuevo – 290 Competition Dr., Kissimmee, FL 34743
• To date, more than 2.4 million individuals have preregistered through the state’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment preregistration system. Counties continue to opt-in on a daily basis and to date, 15 counties are fully onboarded to the statewide system. More information about the statewide system is available here.
• Under Governor DeSantis' leadership, more than 750 vaccination sites have been opened statewide in partnership with local communities and hospitals. The Florida Department of Health continues to identify active vaccine sites. All vaccine sites in Florida are posted on the Florida Department of Health's website here. 

Last week’s accomplishments are available here.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.