No prior appointment is required at the Jacksonville Federal Vaccination Site

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Starting Wednesday, getting the coronavirus vaccine in Jacksonville should be a lot easier and hassle-free when the new federal site opens at 7 a.m. at Gateway Mall.

According to the organizers, if you meet the latest age requirements, you do not need an appointment to get the shot, although pre-registration is recommended by visiting myvaccine.fl.gov or calling 866-200-3762.

The site had a dry run on Tuesday and organizers said there should be no delays or problems.

The two large stores on the site will manage 2,000 people a day to get the Pfizer vaccine. An additional 1,000 people can get the photo on two satellite sites.

People are advised to sign up to do the shots online, but it is not necessary. You can get the shot if you meet the governor’s requirements, which include people 65 and older, health workers, K-12 school staff 50 and older, as well as police and firefighters 50 and older.

Announcements

Robert Spence of FEMA said the site has the ability to expand or shrink depending on the amount of vaccine available.

“Now with this pre-registration it’s preferred, but regardless of the numbers, we still have a chance to expand. We think we have enough information that we don’t think we’ll be invaded,” Spence said.

Although it is a federal site, you must be a Florida resident at this time.

The site will offer first or second shot of the Pfizer vaccine. While you may have the Pfizer shot elsewhere, you can only keep your vaccination records.

“The process we think we have 30 to 40 minutes to get the person in and out the door, but again it depends on how many people there are,” Spence said.

The two satellite sites will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, while the main gateway of the Gateway Mall will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

Announcements

The site is expected to be active for at least 60 days and will operate in conjunction with state vaccines at Regency Square Mall.