Polk County COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Florida’s vaccine eligibility expands to include all adults
Monday marked the biggest expansion in Florida’s COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. All adults are now able to get in line for the shot, along with teens ages 16 and up if they are getting the Pfizer vaccine. That adds millions more Floridians into the mix.
After several different phases of COVID-19 vaccine rollout, all adults in Polk County are now eligible for the vaccine.
Floridians have any different vaccine options available to them, from federal sites to county- and state-run locations, and many commercial providers. Some locations don’t even require an appointment anymore.
How do I get an appointment?
The Florida Department of Health Polk County’s COVID-19 vaccination registration portal is now open for online reservations. Through the portal, which can be found at https://register.polk.health/, users can create an account and upload their personal information for a future appointment.
They can also learn more about the vaccine being administered by the Florida Department of Health and have other frequently asked questions answered.
While the online portal has opened, that doesn’t mean the phone lines have closed. Those needing additional help, or who prefer to register by phone, can still call the COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at (863) 298-7500.
The center will be open for calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. And additional weekend hours have also been added for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Statewide preregistration system
The state of Florida is offering a statewide registration system to help schedule COVID-19 vaccines. Residents can pre-register for vaccine appointments and be notified when appointments are available in their area by:
- Internet: Visiting myvaccine.fl.gov
- Phone: Call your local county number listed on this page.
Private retailers offering vaccines in Florida:
These businesses are offering COVID-19 vaccines at some of their locations in Florida. They generally follow the guidelines laid out by Gov. DeSantis, but you need to register separately for an appointment with the retailer directly, separate from any state or county registration. Click on a link below for more information.
Federal vaccine sites:
Federal vaccine sites in Tampa, Miami, Orlando, and Jacksonville are open until at least May 26 as part of a partnership with FEMA, the Department of Defense, and state health offices. Click here for specific locations.
According to the governor’s office, each site will administer up to 2,000 vaccines per day, seven days a week. Each allocation will also support two smaller, mobile satellite sites that will each deliver 500 vaccinations per day in underserved areas. The will use the existing myvaccine.fl.gov registration system.
The FEMA sites follow President Joe Biden's guidelines, meaning teachers, school staff, and daycare workers of all ages are eligible.
LINK: COVID-19 vaccine distribution information in Tampa Bay area counties
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COVID-19 Vaccines in Florida:
On December 23, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Executive Order 20-315, which states: During this first phase of vaccine administration, all providers administering any COVID-19 vaccine shall only vaccinate the following populations:
- Long-term care facility residents and staff;
- persons 65 years of age and older;
- and health care personnel with direct patient contact.
Hospitals, however, also may vaccinate persons who they deem to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.
Governor DeSantis also announced that in addition to hospitals, county health departments will begin vaccinating individuals 65 and older in the coming weeks as supply permits. Each county health department will work directly with their community partners to notify the community when vaccine doses are available and will provide information about what will be needed to register for vaccination.
Florida has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Report that will be updated daily at FloridaHealthCOVID19.gov. This report includes a breakdown of who has received the vaccine by age, race, sex and county.
If you feel sick:
The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions around the clock. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.
LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website
CORONAVIRUS IN FLORIDA: What you need to know
AROUND THE WORLD: CoronavirusNOW.com