The second day for the Orlando FEMA vaccine site presents a higher turnout

ORLANDO, Fla. – The second day of the Orlando FEMA mass vaccination site began with a higher turnout after the location failed to reach its 2,000-dose capacity on Wednesday.

Hundreds lined up on Thursday in the early hours on the West Campus of the Valencian School.

“We have a significant increase over what we had yesterday,” Lt. Col. Troy Fisher said during a briefing Thursday afternoon. “We are now operating exactly as we would have expected to be operating all the time.”

Fisher said the site averaged about 250 shots per hour.

FEMA officials said more than 2,000 doses were administered on Thursday.

The site used leftover doses starting Wednesday and also used Tuesday test vaccines.

The site reached almost 90% capacity on the first day, according to officials, who blamed lower-than-expected turnout for the wet weather on Wednesday morning and the fact that it was the first day.

Officials said on Thursday they were making changes to improve the experience of those who have to wait a while on the spot to get vaccinated.

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“Tents are being set up, we are moving the line to make sure that people are not moving or that traffic is still moving. So, day by day, we are making improvements to this place to make sure we can take care of the people of Orlando, ”Fisher said.

The site will operate 7 to 19 hours each day and is expected to remain open for at least eight weeks, according to the Orlando police department.

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To encourage higher participation, organizers said they were working to spread the word that no appointments are needed at the site.

Those who meet the requirements to receive the vaccine can pre-register by clicking or tapping here, but instructions are also accepted.

As of Thursday, an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis indicates that people eligible for the vaccine include anyone 65 or older, police officers over 50, firefighters 50 and older, K-school staff. 12 of 50 years and over, health workers and extremely vulnerable people with a form signed by a doctor.

However, the federally operated site expanded its eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday to include K-12 teachers, daycare staff and other school employees following a call from the President Joe Biden to have workers inoculated at the end of the month. Publix, CVS and Walmart have also expanded eligibility requirements to offer traits to these workers.

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[READ: Here’s where Florida teachers, school staff and child care workers can get the COVID-19 vaccine]

Yukeeba Mays, a 49-year-old teacher at West Orange High School, was able to shoot her Thursday after the site began offering shots to those who met the expanded criteria, just a day after she was initially removed to the same site. for failing to meet the age requirements of the state.

She said she was excited after hearing the news that she was now eligible and rushed to get vaccinated as soon as she could.

“I was ecstatic because we should have been a priority (on) day 1. I mean, I have news from other states opening schools, but we’ve been open since August, teaching face-to-face classes since August immunocompromised, too, so, going to the classroom every day, I pray for her to be safe, ”Mays said.

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Katherine Hammond is a 37-year-old teacher who recently extended her maternity leave because she feared going back to school and returning the virus home. He said that now that teachers of any age can get the vaccine, he will feel safer to go back to work.

“I miss my kids to the end, I miss the people I work with and that makes me feel so much better going back and being able to finish the year so hard,” he said.

Shelia Jones is an over-50-year-old K-12 school district employee who also waited to receive the shot at the FEMA site Thursday. He said he was ecstatic that the vaccine would be available to educators.

“I think it’s important. (Teachers) are around children. They need to be vaccinated because they are at risk, ”said Jones.

He said the lines were quite long on Thursday, but everything went pretty smoothly.

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