Nearly 154,000 More Pasco County Residents Eligible For Vaccine

PASCO COUNTY, FL — As of Tuesday, 96,618 people in Pasco County have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to health officials.

This includes 70,000 people (about 56 percent of the eligible population) who are age 65 and up.

According to the Florida Department of Health-Pasco County 47,959 people have received their first dose of the vaccine and 48,659 people have gotten their second dose.

Following Gov. Ron DeSantis' latest executive order, As of Monday, Pasco County residents age 60 and up (about 154,000 people) are eligible to be vaccinated as well.

The positivity rate in Pasco County as of Tuesday is 6.68 percent, up from 5 percent last week. According to the Florida Department of Health, 34,868 people in Pasco have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began a year ago. Of those, 2,278 were hospitalized and 671 residents have died.

The DOH-Pasco is working with the Pasco County School District to vaccinate employees who are 50 years old and older. The county is also working to vaccinate eligible employees at Pasco County private schools and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office and Fire Rescue.

To help the county vaccinate all those who are now eligible for the vaccine, the DOH-Pasco is inviting physicians and pharmacists in Pasco County to partner with the county to provide shots to eligible residents.

"As more COVID-19 vaccine becomes available and more people become eligible to receive it, more people will want to book appointments as quickly as possible," said DOH-Pasco Health Officer Mike Napier. "It's just a matter of time before everyone who wants a shot can get one, and we need to work with our community doctors and pharmacists to make that happen."

To become a Vaccine for Adult (VFA) provider, physicians and pharmacists need to sign up for the Florida SHOTS program at FLShotsUsers.com. Those who are already Florida SHOTS providers can log into their accounts and visit the COVID-19 enrollment page.

Populations now eligible for vaccinations include:

• Long-term care facility residents and staff
• Health care personnel with direct patient contact
• Kindergarten through grade 12 school employees 50 years old and older - NEW
• Sworn law enforcement officers 50 years old and older
• Firefighters 50 years old and older
• People deemed extremely vulnerable by a licensed physician

As a community outreach, Pasco County Emergency Management is coordinating the distribution of 25,176 vaccines to people in retirement communities who are 60 years old and up with the help of providers including AdventHealth.

Health care providers may also vaccinate people age 18 or older who are deemed vulnerable to the coronavirus due to certain medical conditions. Those eligible must obtain a form from a health care provider to receive the vaccine.

The DOH-Pasco is also exploring ways to reach home-bound residents.

Pasco residents who are 60 years old and up can go to the CDR Maguire patient portal or call 1-844-770-8548 to create an account. Appointments open every Sunday at 2 p.m. for the following week and are not accessible any other day or time. The DOH-Pasco vaccination sites do not appear on the CDR Maguire patient portal until appointments are available.

The county provides vaccinations at two drive-thru locations: Gulf View Square mall in Port Richey and Saint Leo University.

Alternatives to using the Pasco County vaccine registration system include the state vaccination system. To get on the state's waiting list for an appointment at a state-sponsored site, go online at MyVaccine.FL.gov or call 866-201-7092.

In addition, residents can schedule appointments through CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, Publix and Winn-Dixie.

• Publix at Arbor Square at Connerton, 7830 Land O' Lakes Blvd., Land O' Lakes
• Publix at Chelsea Place, 1346 Seven Springs Blvd., New Park Richey
• Publix at Collier Commons, 2121 Collier Parkway, Land O' Lakes
• CVS Pharmacy, 1929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Publix at Hays Road Town Center, 14851 State Road 52, Hudson
• Publix at Hollybrook Plaza, 5400 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Publix at Mitchell Ranch Plaza, 3100 Little Road, Trinity
• Publix at River Crossing, 5324 Little Road, New Port Richey
• Publix at Regency Crossings, 7037 Ridge Road, Port Richey
• Publix at Riverwalk Crossings, 1140 Ridge Road, New Port Richey
• County-run site at Gulf View Square, 9409 U.S. 19, Port Richey
• Publix at the Shoppes at New Tampa, 1920 County Road 581, Wesley Chapel
• Publix at the Shoppes at Trinity Lakes, 12500 State Road 54, Odessa
• Publix at the Shoppes of Golden Acres, 9850 Little Road, New Port Richey
• Winn-Dixie, 1640 U.S. 19, Holiday
• Winn-Dixie, 27301 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Publix at Southgate Shopping Center, 5127 U.S. 19 S., New Port Richey
• County-run site at Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52, St. Leo
• Publix at Starkey Ranch Town Square, 13589 State Road 54, Odessa
• Publix at Summertree Plaza, 32765 Eiland Blvd., Zephyrhills
• Publix at The Shoppes at Sunlake Centre, 18901 State Road 54, Lutz
• Publix at The Shoppes of Dade City, 11830 U.S. 301, Dade City
• Publix at Tower Oaks Terrace, 12101 Little Road Hudson
• Walmart, 28500 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
• Publix at Zephyr Commons, 7838 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills

Click here an appointment at Publix.

Click here for an appointment at Winn-Dixie.

Click here for an appointment at CVS.

Click here for an appointment at Walmart.

Click here to make an appointment at Walgreens.

To see all vaccination sites in Pasco County, visit the Florida Vaccine Locator.

See related stories:

• No Wait For Vaccinations At Federal Site In Tampa
• Federal Sites To Vaccinate Teachers 50 And Up, Law Enforcement
• Pasco County's Coronavirus Positivity Rate Down To 5