Health & Fitness
COVID-19 Appointments Filled Up Fast In Polk, Wait List Offered
Five hours after phones opened for vaccine appointments, slots for next were booked in Polk. Find out here how you can be on the wait list.
POLK COUNTY, FL — The second round of vaccine registrations for seniors opened in Polk County at 8 a.m. on Friday and appointments were filled by 1 p.m., a news release said.
Since all appointments for next week filled up, the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 vaccine hotline will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, for Polk residents 65 years of age and older who want to be placed on a registration waiting list for the COVID-19 vaccine. Seniors can call the hotline at 863-298-7500.
The call center will go back to regular business hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., health officials said.
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"I am thankful to have our COVID-19 vaccine hotline up and running for Polk County," Dr. Joy Jackson, director of Polk Health Department said. "We ask for your patience and understanding as we continue to iron out the wrinkles. We hope this hotline will allow those 65 and older to sign up for a vaccine appointment or allow them to register their information so that we can contact them for a future vaccination appointment."
Due to heavy call volumes, callers may experience a busy signal. It is estimated that the call center Friday morning was receiving more than 100 calls per second, officials said.
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More than 5,400 individuals in Polk have received a COVID-19 vaccination as of Friday, the department reported.
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