Vaccine available to Jacksonville residents over the age of 65 beginning Monday; appointments open Wednesday

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Appointments for Jacksonville residents 65 and older and any health worker who has not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine can receive the first dose of the vaccine starting Monday, according to the Florida Department of Health in Duval County .

Duval County residents who meet any of the criteria for a vaccine can request an appointment starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Appointment calls can be made between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day of the week other than New Year’s Day and night. Named 904-253-1140 for an appointment, but remember that there can be long waiting times to get it.

RELATED: COVID-19 vaccine in northeast Florida: what we know by county

Vaccines will be given at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. They are free and a second dose will need to be taken to make it as effective as possible.

Before making an appointment, know that:

  • People must live in Duval County.
  • Proof of residency at the appointment is required (driver’s license, JEA invoice or other form of identification showing home address).
  • No bathrooms available during the appointment.

Jacksonville firefighters, who began getting vaccinated last Thursday, will help make the shots. Tickets will not be allowed.

Incident commander of the COVID-19 health department and registered nurse Tawanda Washington said the priority is to vaccinate people over 65 quickly.

“We want to start vaccinating as soon as possible, so we could see some of our 65-year-olds living in the community get vaccinated before the new year, even if they’re not in a long-term care center,” said Washington. .

Washington said its team works with local hospitals to fire out health care providers who are not affiliated with hospitals. This would include local doctor’s offices and pharmacies.

Washington said Jacksonville sheriff’s office staff, private ambulance crews and prison inmates would be the most important on the list. He said the Duval County Prison has a large population in a small area, so it’s important to get vaccinated there.

Rein Vandervelde, a home care physiotherapist, said the arrival of the vaccine is a moment she has been waiting for.

“We even treat patients with COVID who are not sick enough to go to the hospital, but they stay home and are quarantined,” Vandervelde said.

Vandervelde cares for many patients at home, including Dana Parker, 65, who has been diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome.

“I would feel so much better if I had (the) vaccine,” Parker said. “I am not afraid of it. I’m more scared without that. “

RELACIONATS: El comtat de Clay comença a prendre cites per vacunar-se | El comtat de St. Johns anunciarà aviat el pla

Alguns que treballen en l’àmbit sanitari privat, com Jacque Dennie, volen desesperadament la vacuna i senten que han caigut per les esquerdes.

“Acabo de contactar per obtenir respostes per a les meves infermeres”, va dir Dennie de Fletcher’s Home Care. “No treballen a l’hospital. No treballen a les residències. I, no obstant això, tenen cura de nens més que mèdicament complexos de la nostra zona i també els agradaria la vacuna “.

Alguns ancians del centre de Florida van començar a rebre vacunes dimarts. El comtat de Seminole es va convertir en el primer de l’Estat quan dimarts a la tarda va començar a fer trets a prop de la pista de menjar del centre comercial Oviedo.

Va dir el president del comtat de Seminole, Lee Constantine. “És un dia molt emocionant per a tots nosaltres, i sobretot, i amb sort per als nostres residents. També és un gran dia per a l’estat de Florida, perquè de nou, a partir d’ara, de cop en tirarem salvar vides ”.

Els treballadors de primera línia dels hospitals locals van començar a rebre els seus trets fa dues setmanes a UF Health Jacksonville, seguits d’altres centres mèdics. CVS i Walgreen’s estan treballant actualment amb l’estat per vacunar el personal i els residents a les instal·lacions d’atenció a llarg termini.

News4Jax treballa per obtenir més informació sobre les cites, la disponibilitat i les ubicacions de les vacunes a Jacksonville i als comtats veïns. Tindrem detalls sobre les ubicacions i els horaris i sobre com registrar-vos tan bon punt estiguin disponibles.

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