Here’s how to find out when, where vaccine doses arrive across the state

Monday will mark the start of the first full week of the effort to vaccinate people age 65 and older in the general population against COVID-19 and potentially the beginning of a new phase in the deadly pandemic that is creeping into its 10th month.

The roll-out of the vaccine during the four days leading up to New Year’s Day demonstrated just how eager people are to receive the shot. County websites and phone lines crashed as thousands tried to book appointments for the small number of doses available so far.

State officials acknowledge shortcomings in the system, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expects more doses on the way soon.

Here’s what you need to know about where Central Florida stands with the

vaccine and what to expect going forward:

How many local people are now vaccinated?

About 30,000 people in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties, including front-line hospital workers, other health and emergency workers and seniors, have received the first of two required shots, according to the latest state data available. That total includes 18,104 people in Orange County, 5,453 in Seminole, 2,316 in Osceola and 3,829 in Lake, according to the most recent state data available. Throughout Florida, about 211,000 have received their first shot and about 50,000 of those are 65 years and older. Florida is one of oldest states in the nation, with about 4.5 million people falling in that age demographic.

So how close are we to herd immunity?

We’ve got a long way to go. For some perspective, scientists say about 75 percent of the population needs the vaccine to reach herd immunity. And those 30,000 people represent a little more than 1% of the region’s 2.6 million people. The 211,000 people vaccinated across the state so far also represent about 1% of Florida’s population of more than 21 million.

Are any appointments available for this week?

As of now, no. The available bookings went fast, though counties may start to announce more availability as they receive more doses of the vaccine. DeSantis also said hospital systems are expected to begin administering the shots to more people soon.

When will more vaccine arrive in our area?

Local health officials say they don’t know. Jared Moskowitz, director of the state’s division of emergency management, told the Sentinel that the state directed about 700,000 dosages of the vaccine to counties and other providers so far, but only a fraction have been used. Moskowitz said providers who get shots into arms quickly will be first in line for more doses. But, he added, the state has received little clarity from the federal government for long-term planning. Moskowitz said he is only told how many doses a shipment will contain about a week in advance.

Lake County officials said Thursday that they expect to receive about 10,000 more dosages this week, with plans to vaccinate at least 2,500 people per day.

If I couldn’t get an appointment, what are my options?

Volusia County is planning to offer vaccines on a first-come, first-serve basis, but be prepared for long waits and, potentially, to walk away without a shot because the number of doses is so limited.

The county’s first vaccination site is scheduled to open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday at Daytona Stadium, 3917 LPGA Boulevard in Daytona Beach.

Volusia received 3,000 doses and used some of them to inoculate health workers who will be giving the shots. The remainder will go to people who meet the age requirement. It’s “a very small quantity given the demand,” said Holly Smith, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health in Volusia.

More sites are expected to open throughout Central Florida as additional shipments arrive.

Are there problems with national shipments of the vaccine from the federal government?

Yes. States across the country are reporting delays. Earlier this month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said hundreds of thousands of doses of the vaccine produced by Pfizer, one of two companies that has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration, had been delayed. The state had expected to get about 450,000 doses produced by Pfizer this month, but production issues have prevented them from being delivered. Florida now has received 180,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, far fewer than anticipated.

Combined with shipments of a second version of the vaccine produced by another company, Moderna, Florida has received more than 700,000 doses.

What about people in long-term care facilities?

Walgreens and CVS are working under a federal contract to vaccinate residents and staff at long-term care facilities. But the companies have not provided any information about how many people they’ve vaccinated so far. According to self-reports from the facilities, 287 of the state’s 700 nursing homes and only 34 of 2,400 assisted living facilities have received vaccines. Critics, including residents and administrators, complain that in some cases healthy seniors are able to get vaccinated through county programs before nursing home residents. There are also concerns over how long it will take to vaccinate about vulnerable residents in assisted living facilities.

How will I know when more vaccine is available?

For Orange County, text OCFLCOVID to 888777 to receive text message updates, sign up for emails at ocfl.net or download the OCFL alert app to get updates on your smartphone. In Seminole County, text COVID19INFO to 888777 to receive alerts from the county’s emergency management, including notifications about when additional vaccination appointments are available. In Lake County, text COVIDUPDATE to 888777. In Osceola, text ALERTOSCEOLA to 888777.

When will younger people be able to receive the vaccine?

Right now, the administration of the vaccine is limited to people 65 and older, people in long-term care facilities and health care workers. It’s unclear when it will be available to other groups.

DeSantis has said the vaccine could be available to younger people as early as February, but he has not announced a specific timeline.

Moskowitz said the timing will be determined, in part, by how many seniors decide they want to be vaccinated.