Jackson widens pool for vaccines; federal mass vaccination site will be in Dade
Jackson Health System is offering COVID-19 vaccines to people who are 55 and older and have certain conditions. In another development, Miami Dade College’s North campus will be home to the area’s first federal mass vaccination site.
Miami-Dade County is still lagging behind the rest of the state on vaccinating its 65-and-older residents, but its public-hospital network has opened its COVID-19 inoculations to a new group of high-risk people.
Starting next week, anyone 55 and older with one of 13 medical conditions can request an appointment at Jackson Health System. The shift represents yet another logistical challenge for the hospital, which has for several weeks vaccinated those 65 and older, but has seen demand for its appointments start to slow down.
Jackson Health System CEO Carlos Migoya on Friday attributed the “diminishing demand” to 35% of those 65 and older in the county already being vaccinated and to other options, such as state-run sites, becoming available. Statewide, about 43% of those 65 and older have been vaccinated, putting Miami-Dade behind the mark.
Still, demand remains high for vaccines in Miami-Dade. The county-run waiting list for vaccine appointments still has nearly 51,000 people 65 and over awaiting slots, according to county spokeswoman Rachel Johnson.
While Jackson’s pivot shouldn’t open the floodgates, it is built on
something of an honor system: The ability to sign up will hinge on securing a signed doctor’s note and proclaiming that it’s truthful. Migoya said the state’s guidance was to accept doctor’s notes as the main form of verification and turn away anyone who doesn’t have one.
“Based on the state’s directions, we’re taking these doctor’s notes for what they are,” Migoya said during a Friday afternoon virtual press conference announcing the move.
Migoya said appointments would be available online on Tuesday and begin in person on Wednesday at Jackson vaccination sites.
The doctor’s note must list one of 13 conditions identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as high-risk for COVID — breast cancer, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, COPD, coronary artery disease with bypass, Down Syndrome, end-stage renal failure, leukemia, lung cancer, lymphoma, morbid obesity, sickle cell disease and organ transplant recipients.
Adults with these conditions already qualified under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order issued in late December, but have found few places willing to schedule their appointments.
State-run vaccination sites have focused on healthcare workers and those 65 and older, leaving the responsibility of vaccinating the medically vulnerable to hospitals that have largely used their doses to vaccinate their own patients and employees.
The vaccination campaign comes at an opportune
time, as South Florida’s epidemic cools from its winter surge. MiamiDade County reported 1,550 new COVID cases and 28 more deaths, putting its cumulative pandemic totals at 399,593 cases and 5,270 deaths, according to reports Friday from the Florida Department of Health.
Though it’s not currently allowed under the DeSantis executive order, Eric Toner, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said it would make sense to simply allow anyone 55 and older to secure a dose.
Just requiring a doctor’s note, he said, amounted to a “don’t ask, don’t tell”
policy.
“There’s going to be no way to realistically verify that somebody has one of the identified conditions,” Toner said. “I would just open it up to 55 and older.”
That’s what Broward Mayor Steve Geller has called for, asking DeSantis on Friday to include people 55 and over, law enforcement and teachers for vaccine eligibility.
But Jared Moskowitz — the state’s director of the Division of Emergency Management, which is in charge of distributing vaccines — told the Miami Herald on Friday that will only be considered when 50% of Floridians 65 and older have been vaccinated,
a milestone that could be a week or so away.
State officials would also have to see a significant drop in demand, Moskowitz said.
“At the end of the day, the conversations are already going on in the governor’s office about what groups can be next,” he said. “But we’re going to continue to focus on 65 and older, which makes up 80% of our [COVID] deaths.”
On Friday, Florida surpassed 30,000 COVID-19 deaths, the state Health Department reported, with 30,214 people having died in the state since the pandemic began. Florida has the fourth-most
deaths in the country, after California, New York and Texas, according to The New York Times’ database of U.S. cases.
Moskowitz said he hadn’t identified any group as likely to be next in line, but Toner, the Johns Hopkins scholar, said he had one in mind.
“In terms of what should be the next group, I would advocate for teachers,” he said. “Not only are they essential workers at high risk, but they are part of the key of getting society reopened.”
FEDS TO BRING MORE VACCINES TO SOUTH FLORIDA
The White House announced on Friday that Miami Dade College’s North campus will be home to the area’s first federal mass vaccination site, a long-awaited addition with plans for enough supply to significantly boost the county’s current lagging pace of first-time immunizations for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The MDC North site will take appointments for vaccinations 12 hours a day. The campus off Northwest 27th Avenue near Opa-locka is the only announced federal site for South Florida, with the other three in the state going to Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. The announcement from DeSantis’ office said each site would administer 2,000 vaccine doses a day.
Additionally, the Biden administration said it would deploy two mobile vaccination units in areas surrounding the sites. Combined, those units plan to administer an additional 1,000 doses per day, bringing the daily total to 3,000 vaccines administered by the new federal operation.
The office of U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Democrat representing parts of the Miami area, first announced the Biden administration’s plan for the MDC North center in a Thursday night statement that said the facility “will significantly increase access” to vaccine doses. Located in an area with a relatively high portion of Black residents, Wilson said selection of the campus was designed to boost the vaccination rate for the county’s Black population.
“This is literally the shot in the arm our county needs,” Wilson said in the statement.
A Florida Keys woman was sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating a state health department-issued quarantine order and the city of Key West’s mask ordinance in July after she had tested positive for COVID-19.
Yohana Gonzalez, 26, listed in jail records as a resident of Stock Island, pleaded no contest to both misdemeanors at the Monroe County Courthouse on Feb. 17.
Monroe County Judge Mark Wilson sentenced Gonzalez to 30 days on each count but made the jail terms concurrent.
“Thirty works,” Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward said of the sentence. “We’re not going to have people that should be under quarantine running around not respecting that quarantine.”
Gonzalez was taken into custody after the hearing, prosecutors said, and on Thursday was listed as being at the county jail on Stock Island.
Prosecutors had offered
Gonzalez 120 days, or 60 days on each count. But instead of taking a deal, she chose to plead her case before Wilson, said Val Winter, chief assistant state attorney for Monroe County.
A message left at the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office was not returned Thursday.
Gonzalez was arrested July 29, 2020, along with Jose Antonio Freire Interian, 25. At the time, they lived together in Key West and both had tested positive for COVID-19.
Gonzalez was told she tested positive July 15, and she was directed by the state health department to isolate at home for at least 14 days and wear a mask at home because she had roommates, the health department said.
“Despite that directive, you failed to wear a face mask while at home and exposed all members of your household to COVID-19,” according to a quarantine order issued by the department on July 21.
On July 20, Gonzalez left her home to go shopping at a grocery store, the order says.
“Because you have failed to voluntarily remain in your residence, this order is necessary to protect the public health,” the order states, adding she must stay at home until July 31.
On July 29, the apartment building’s property manager reported to Key West police that both Gonzalez and Freire Interian had left home without wearing masks and provided video of them leaving and arriving home.
Gonzalez left her home to shop and jog, the manager told police, according to the arrest warrant.
In October 2020, Freire Interian was sentenced to 120 days in jail after pleading guilty to the misdemeanor charges, having struck a deal with prosecutors.
Freire Interian on the same day pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge in a separate case in which he threatened a man with a golf club.
Right-hander Edward Cabrera, one of the Marlins’ top pitching prospects, is out indefinitely with an arm injury, removing one strong candidate for a spot at the back end of the rotation.
Cabrera was diagnosed with an inflamed nerve in his right bicep, and there’s no firm timetable for his return.
Manager Don Mattingly said he is “already showing improvement and still able to do a lot of things. We feel like we’ll see him at some point this year. We take our time and let this thing take care of itself.
We know he’s going to be good. It’s a matter of getting him right, get him throwing.”
Mattingly said the organization learned of the injury “late in winter” but getting him back to the United States from the Dominican Republic “caused a delay.”
He’s with the team in Jupiter but not throwing.
This is the second injury that has sidelined Cabrera in the past nine months; he likely would have started at least one game, if not more, for the Marlins last summer if he hadn’t been out for a few weeks with shoulder soreness.
Cabrera’s injury leaves four contenders for the No.
5 spot in the rotation, presuming top four starters Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Elieser Hernandez and Sixto Sanchez are healthy to start the season.
(All four are healthy now.)
Those competing for the fifth job: left-handers Trevor Rogers, Braxton Gar
of opening-period goals for Florida.
Aaron Ekblad added a goal in the final seconds of the second period. Hornqvist scored a second time with a third-period power-play goal and Anthony Duclair added a tally of his own in the final period. Keith Yandle recorded three assists on the night. Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Carter Verhaeghe each had two assists.
The four first-period goals tied a franchise record, last done on Nov. 19, 2018, in an eventual win over the Ottawa Senators.
It was enough to chase Detroit starting goaltender Thomas Greiss after the first period — a sigh of relief for the Panthers considering Greiss’ track record of success against the Panthers.
Heading into Friday, Greiss had a career .934 save percentage and a 10-6-2 record in 18 games against Florida (12 regular season, six playoffs). He had given up four or more goals just twice.
On Friday, the Panthers battered him for four goals on 13 shots in the first 20 minutes.
Lammikko got the scoring started a little more than six minutes into regulation. He took a pass from Brett Connolly in
front of the net and fired a wrist shot through a pair of Red Wings defenders and into the net. It was Lammikko’s second consecutive game with a goal. Yandle was credited the secondary assist.
Weegar doubled the Panthers’ score less than two minutes later with his first goal of the season, taking a feed from Huberdeau and sending a one-timer from the left circle past Greiss.
Hornqvist made it 3-0 at the
12:45 mark, tapping in a shot from Yandle in front of the net.
The Red Wings broke up the shutout with a Bobby Ryan goal at 14:06, but Barkov put Florida back up by three goals 69 seconds later when he took the rebound from a Verhaeghe shot and pushed the puck past Greiss, who was on his back after stopping Verhaeghe’s attempt.
Ten Panthers players were on the scoresheet with either a goal or assist in the first period.
“We’ve got a lot of options coming out of the neutral zone,” Weegar said on the Fox Sports Florida broadcast during the first intermission. “We’re just picking up right where we left off. It’s great to watch. It’s fun here.”
Jonathan Bernier took over in net for Detroit over the final two periods, stopping 23 of 26 shots that came his way. The three goals he gave up over the final 40 minutes: An Ekblad onetimer from the left circle with 21 seconds remaining in the second period, a tap-in from Hornqvist in front of the net on a power play 5:50 into the third period and a Duclair wrist shot in front of the net off a pass from Barkov.
Chris Driedger improved to 6-1-1 on the season after stopping 30 of 32 shots. Driedger has started all three games of this road trip.
Driedger’s highlight save of the night: A diving slide to his right midway through the second period, using his stick to stop Darren Helm’s wrist shot on a rebound with a mostly open net.
Friday was a needed break from the norm against Detroit. The Panthers’ first four games against the Red Wings this season included three one-goal wins (including one in overtime) and a 4-1 regulation loss at home.
“The games have all been close, could have gone either way,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said following Florida’s practice Thursday in Detroit. “They are competitive … you have to fight for everything you get. That is the kind of game we expect. Timely goals are going to be important. You have to be ready for everything. Let’s be focused on doing the right things.”
They did the right things on Friday.
University of Miami point guard Chris Lykes, who has missed the past 17 games with a left ankle injury, is “unlikely” to play the remainder of the season, coach Jim Larrañaga announced during a Friday teleconference.
Lykes, a preseason AllACC selection, returned to full practice in recent weeks and it appeared he would rejoin the lineup, but each time he was set to return, he suffered a setback.
Larrañaga confirmed Lykes will not play in Saturday’s noon home game against Georgia Tech, and said he probably won’t be back this season.
Asked about Lykes’ future with the team, Larrañaga said: “I talk to Chris Lykes regularly. In recent conversations we’ve talked about him resting the remainder of the year. We’ve also talked about what his options are for the future. The three possibilities every player will have are turn pro, remain at the school you’re at because the NCAA has made it clear everyone gets a pass on this year, or because the transfer portal has made it very, very easy for players to transfer, there will be a major market for transfers.”
Lykes did not practice all week, said Larrañaga, who had been optimistic that his starting point guard would return the past few weeks.
“Every time he practices, the ankle area is aggravated, and he doesn’t feel like he can be himself,” the coach said. “He’s in a little bit of pain. If every time you change direction it hurts, then you can’t really go. Because his game is speed, quickness, change directions he can’t play like Chris Lykes. So, he hasn’t practiced this week and it’s unlikely he’ll play this year again. But I wouldn’t say it’s
impossible. Once the pain goes away, he’s going to want to get back out there.”
Lykes last played on Dec. 4, when he twisted his ankle after landing on a Stetson player’s foot. At the time, he was averaging 15.5 points
per game.
The Hurricanes (7-12, 3-11 ACC) have won just one of their past seven games. They have five games remaining in the regular season.
The ACC tournament is
March 9-13 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
INTER MIAMI PURSUES VETERAN DEFENDER
Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross got one step closer to signing with Inter Miami on Friday when Stoke announced it terminated his contract by mutual consent “to allow him to pursue new playing opportunities in the United States.”
Shawcross, a 33-year-old center back and team captain, has been linked to
Inter Miami for weeks. An MLS source confirmed that he is in contract negotiations with Inter Miami, where he would be reunited with new coach Phil Neville, who was his teammate at Manchester United and work for David Beckham, another ManU alum.
Shawcross has played more than 400 games for Stoke since arriving from Manchester United in 2007. He is known for his leadership skills.
Stoke City’s chief executive Tony Scholes said: “Ryan’s contribution to the club over the last 14 years simply cannot be overstated. His outstanding leadership and the consistency of his displays made him a talismanic figure for us.”
Manager Michael O’Neill added: “Before I came to Stoke City the one player you immediately associated with the Club when it came up in conversation was
Ryan, simply because of the length of time he spent here. It’s very rare these days for a player to stay at one club for 14 years. I’m sure Ryan has had opportunities to go elsewhere down the years but he clearly felt settled and valued here.”
Shawcross was named captain in 2010, and he led the team to the FA Cup
Final against Manchester City. He remained a key player until summer 2019, when he broke his leg in a preseason friendly against Leicester City.