Four Federal Vaccination Sites To Open In Florida: DeSantis

FLORIDA — Four federally run COVID-19 vaccination sites will open in Florida March 3, according to a news release from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.

The new sites are coming to Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa. They'll be located at:

• Gateway Mall, 5200 Norwood Ave., Jacksonville
• Miami Dade Community College (North Campus), 11380 NW 27th Ave., Miami
• Valencia College (West Campus), 1800 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando
• Tampa Greyhound Track, 755 E. Waters Ave., Tampa

Each location will operate seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will administer 2,000 vaccines each day. Each city will also operate two smaller, mobile satellite sites that give 500 vaccinations daily in underserved area.

“Through this hub and spoke model, each group of one primary site and two satellite sites will offer 3,000 vaccinations per day,” the governor’s office said.

"For months, I have been pushing to bring more vaccines urgently to Miami-Dade and to ensure that vaccine distribution is not only efficient but equitable, and that we are doing everything we can to reach underserved communities," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. "I'm thrilled that the federal government is including Miami-Dade in their expanded vaccination efforts across Florida, and building on the work our team has already been doing to create a large-scale vaccine distribution system at sites including MDC Campus North. This site will greatly increase vaccine availability to those who need it the most."

These federally run sites are opening across the country as part of President Joe Biden’s plan to end the coronavirus pandemic.

“We're mobilizing more vaccinators, including retired doctors and nurses, and federal medical personnel that we use in disaster relief efforts,” Biden wrote in an exclusive op-ed published by Patch. “We're creating more places where people can get vaccinated — new mass vaccinations sites at stadiums, community centers, and large parking lots across the country, and sending vaccines to pharmacies and community health centers in the hardest-hit and most underserved parts of America to ensure that the vaccine is administered equitably. That wasn't happening before; now it is.”

The four Florida sites are a partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Defense, the Florida Department of Health, Florida Division of Emergency Management and Florida National Guard.

The state will utilize the current preregistration system and work with local community organizations to schedule appointments. To preregister with the statewide system, individuals can either call the designated phone number for their county or visit myvaccine.fl.gov.