Where to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Central Florida

Florida’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts made a big leap forward recently as pharmacy retailers partnering with the federal government began at the first of 490 locations across 52 counties, including all of Central Florida. The program is following the priorities of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ordered that Florida residents 65 and older, front-line health-care workers and nursing home residents and be vaccinated in this first phase.

However, the governor has also sent some vaccines to designated hospitals specifically for people under 65 who are deemed extremely vulnerable to the virus because of other health concerns. So far the doses have been limited to a relatively small number of transplant patients at about 30 hospitals around the state, including AdventHealth and Orlando Health.

For others seeking a vaccine, Florida has a statewide preregistration system that will notify registrants when appointments are available in their area. But some counties — including Seminole and Orange — report they are not opting to use it for now. Florida residents can visit myvaccine.fl.gov/ to sign up. Once appointments are available, individuals will be contacted by phone, text or email.

Because of limited supply, appointments may not be available for several weeks in some counties. Note that anyone seeking the vaccination will need to provide documentation of being a Florida resident or a frontline healthcare worker providing services in Florida. Please check the sites below and look for the latest at OrlandoSentinel.com/ coronavirus for last-minute updates.

Brevard

Information: The county is using the statewide pre-registration system to sign up for vaccinations, which are being administered at its clinic in Viera, 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way. Go to myvaccine. fl.gov or call 866-201-5420 (or 833-476-1525 for TTY). Visit brevard.floridahealth. gov for general information.

The Viera VA Health Care Center, 2900 Veterans Way in Viera, will hold drive-in vaccination clinic for eligible veterans on Monday, Feb. 15, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until supplies are exhausted. Vaccines will be available for walk-ins or by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 407-631-0499 Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. To be eligible, veterans must be at least 65 years old and enrolled to receive care at the VA or 18 and older and employed as firefighters, police officers, corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, teachers, educational support staff and day-care workers. Bring identification or documentation that you are employed in one of these categories.

Lake

Locations: The state Department of Health in Lake County is offering free COVID-19 immunizations at the Lake Square Mall by appointment only to frontline health care workers and those 65 and older. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 1-866-201-6909 (or 833-476-1031 for TTY users). Appointments are based on vaccine availability.

The county has closed its vaccine site at the Amazon distribution center, 7453 Republic Drive in Groveland, off State Road 19 south of U.S. Highway 27, due to a lack of vaccine, but officials expect it to reopen early next week as vaccine becomes available. Second-dose appointments continue at St. Patrick’s Church, 6803 Old U.S. Highway 441 in Mount Dora. Recipients must present photo identification and the CDC vaccination card provided to them during their first dose vaccination. If you are not contacted by the due date on your card provided at your appointment, please call (352) 268-9299.

Information: Call (352) 268-9299, text COVIDUPDATE to 888777 or visit lake.florida.gov or follow the state Department of Health for Lake on Twitter at @FLHealthLake.

Orange

Location: Orange County Convention Center

Information: The Florida Department of Health in Orange County will reopen its online portal at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 15 for COVID-19 vaccinations at the Orange County Convention Center to Florida residents age 65 and older.

If you are not a Florida resident and have already gotten your first dose at the Orange County Convention Center, the Department of Health will honor your appointment to complete the vaccine series. However, if you are not a resident and have not received your first dose yet, you need to cancel your appointment.

Seniors who lack transportation may qualify for a free ride from LYNX. You MUST have a scheduled appointment first at the Orange County Convention Center before calling 407-836-3111 to request a scheduled ride.

Also, limited Orange County is partnering with AdventHealth to provide COVID-19 vaccination appointments to Florida health care workers with direct patient contact. Register with AdventHealth.

For others, visit ocfl. net/Vaccine for registration information. For more information, call 1-844770-8548 or e-mail COVID19Support@cdrmaguire. com. If current appointments are filled, residents are encouraged to preregister for when the portal reopens, which will happen when more vaccine become available.

Check for county updates at http://ocfl.net/EmergencySafety/Coronavirus/ VaccineInformation.aspx#stay-informed, download the OCFL Alert app, or text OCFLCOVID to 888777 to receive updates on your cell phone.

Osceola

Information: The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County uses the statewide pre-registration system to make vaccine appointments. For update on the county’s plans, go to (osceola.floridahealth. gov/) or call 1-866-201-6507 to pre-register.

Anyone who received an initial dose of vaccine from FDOH-Osceola should be contacted to schedule a second dose appointment. These individuals are asked to monitor their email and not to submit the COVID19 vaccination appointment request form. If you have not been contacted two days prior to the second dose due date, call 407-5520120 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Note that there have been scattered reports of difficulty scheduling the second dose, but the county is aware of the issue and is working on it.

The county also is partnering with Prescriptions Unlimited in St. Cloud to provide vaccinations to homebound patients 65 years and older and home health providers. Providers seeking vaccinations for their staff or patients may call 407-892-7166 or email covid19@unlimitedrx.com to schedule an appointment. Appointments are required.

Polk

Information: All appointments this week for COVID-19 vaccines in Polk County have been filled. Appointment availability is based on the supply of vaccine. Visit register.polk. health/ or call the county’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline, 1-863-298-7500, to join a waiting list for future vaccine appointments. The county is vaccinating for high-risk health care workers, long-term care residents and anyone 65 and over.

Seminole

Information: The county has filled all appointments for Feb. 15 to February 20. When more vaccine is available, the county will reopen its vaccine reservation system for Florida residents 65 and older as well as healthcare workers. Register at EventBrite.com or call 407-665-0000.

Please bring identification with your birth date to your appointment for check in. Non-hospital healthcare workers should also present a valid proof of employment such as an employer ID or pay stub, etc.). Proof of Florida

residency or semi-residency is also required.

For more information, go to PrepareSeminole.org.

Location: Oviedo Mall Vaccine Site (the former Sears store), 1360 Oviedo Mall Blvd., Oviedo.

Volusia

The Florida Department of Health in Volusia County will provide 2,000 firstdose COVID-19 vaccines the week of Feb. 15, with clinics on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the Volusia County Fairgrounds, 3150 E. New York Ave., in DeLand (entrance off Prevatt Avenue).. Appointments will be scheduled through Sharecare, the statewide preregistration system.

On Tuesday, Feb. 16, vaccine operations for firstdose appointments will transition to a walk-up event at the fairgrounds. Face masks are required in the building. Staff and signage will direct individuals once on-site.

Also, second-dose events will take place Feb. 18 and 19 at the fairgrounds for individuals who received their first dose at the same location Jan. 21 and 22. These second doses will be administered through a drive-up clinic, managed in the same manner as the first shot. Individuals must bring their vaccination card to receive their second dose. An email reminder will be sent through Eventbrite approximately one week prior to the second dose date.

Individuals for both firstand second-dose events are asked not to arrive prior to their scheduled appointment time. Note that the county site is only for Florida residents who are 65 or older.

Information: Appointments for all county-run vaccine clinics should be booked through the statewide pre-registration system by visiting myvaccine.fl.gov or by calling 1-866-201-7314. Local hospital and retail pharmacy vaccine events use their own registration sites. Questions should be directed to the Volusia County helpline at 1-833-540-2077.

Also, individuals who are not able to access the internet via a computer, tablet or cellphone may call 1-866345-0345 for assistance scheduling.

AdventHealth

Who: All appointments have been booked for firstround shots, but those due for a second shot will be vaccinated as scheduled. Community health-care providers; employees’ families who are 65 years and older; patients of AdventHealth Medical Group who are 65 years and older and a small number of patients deemed extremely vulnerable.

Information: To receive alerts about vaccine availability, visit www.CoronavirusVaccineAlerts.com.

Orlando Health

Who: No first-dose appointments are available. If you received your first vaccination at an Orlando Health facility and still need a second-dose, you should have been contacted to schedule that appointment. If you haven’t, call (877) 321-2684.

Information: Check orlandohealth.com/Covid19/vaccine for updates.

Orlando VA

Who: Veterans 65 and older and veterans who are essential front-line workers.

Location: Currently, the Orlando VA is offering COVID-19 vaccine by appointment only to veterans already receiving care from the VA, based on CDC and VA risk criteria. If you’re eligible to get a vaccine, your VA health care team will contact you. Veterans who already have appointments for their first or second vaccine dose should keep the appointment at their scheduled location.

Information: Visit www. orlando.va.gov/services/ covid-19-vaccines.asp or call 407-631-0499.

Publix pharmacies

The Publix online portal will reopen Monday, February 15 at 7 a.m. for vaccine appointments starting Wednesday, February 17.

Vaccination appointments are scheduled online only. Appointments cannot be made by calling Publix or the Publix Pharmacy. Vaccinations are available at select Publix stores throughout the state, including Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole counties, for Florida residents 65 and over, front-line health workers and nursing home residents and staff. Go to publix. com/covid-vaccine/florida.

Walmart

Gov. Ron DeSantis said 119 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across 34 Florida counties will begin vaccinating residents on Friday. To sign up, go to www. walmart.com/cp/1228302.

Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie began offering vaccines at stores in Lake and Volusia this week. To find participating stores, go to winndixie.com/ pharmacy. To schedule an appointment, go to Schedule+my+appointment.

This list is updated online regularly as information becomes available.