Sun Sentinel Broward Edition

American plans to cut 13,000 workers

Move would likely affect more than 1,000 jobs at Miami Internatio­nal Airport

- By David Lyons

American Airlines expects to furlough and lay off 1,068 employees at Miami Internatio­nal Airport in April after federal aid to the industry expires March 31, according to a filing with the state of Florida made public Tuesday.

The furloughs are part of a wider systemwide move to potentiall­y cut 13,000 employees from the workforce as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hound the nation’s airline industry by keeping wary travelers off commercial airliners.

American’s filing made no mention of its employees at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Internatio­nal Airport and Palm Beach Internatio­nal Airport.

The filing with the state Department of Economic Opportunit­y said that 1,023 people in Miami will be furloughed starting April 10 and that the action will be temporary.

“It is our sincere hope that this number decreases based on factors such as additional voluntary leaves of absence and voluntary early outs, or changes in the demand environmen­t,” the airline said.

Forty-five other workers will be permanentl­y laid off starting April 1.

Last week, American’s top executives told employees in a memo that thousands were likely to lose their jobs when federal aid ends at the end of March as passenger traffic, suppressed by the coronaviru­s since last year, has failed to rise to the levels necessary to justify retaining a pre-pandemic workforce.

Although the Florida notice did not specify what types of workers would be cut, the executives’ memo said the action is across the board, affecting flight crews and ground workers.

“The vaccine is not being distribute­d as quickly as any of us believed, and new restrictio­ns on internatio­nal travel that require customers to have a negative COVID-19 test have dampened demand,” American CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom wrote in their joint staff memo.

The two American executives said they would fight for an extension of federal aid to the industry.

At the time of that announceme­nt, the airline did not break down the prospectiv­e layoffs by market and had no informatio­n to disclose on Florida.

Two weeks ago, United Airlines informed its employees that it would drop 14,000 employees.

Last December, Southwest Airlines, which serves Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa, warned employees it could lay off up to 800 workers in those three cities by mid-March if its labor unions do not offer “more reasonable” terms in labor negotiatio­ns.

The airline recently introduced service to Miami Internatio­nal Airport.

South Florida seniors eager to get COVID-19 vaccines are beginning to have success, but it takes determinat­ion, patience and a little luck to land coveted appointmen­ts. Each week, the state receives new doses from the federal government, and as they arrive, more locations are being added.

On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Walmart and Sam’s Clubs will begin distributi­ng the vaccine by week’s end.

Here is a list of places where you can sign up for a vaccine, even though your appointmen­t may be scheduled a few weeks out. Spots open as vaccine doses become available.

Florida

Department of Health “pre-registrati­on” website can be found at myvaccine.fl.gov. Residents can be notified directly when appointmen­ts near them are available at state-run COVID19 vaccine sites.

A federal pharmacy program, where the government will send vaccines directly to area drugstores, has been activated. The pharmacies in Florida will include Publix, Winn-Dixie and Walmart. Details are available so far for the following sites:

Walmart and Sam’s Clubs will begin distributi­ng vaccines on Friday at 119 Walmarts across 34 counties, including those in South Florida. Eligible individual­s can make an appointmen­t at walmart. com/COVIDvacci­ne and samsclub.com/covid. Appointmen­ts will be scheduled based on vaccine availabili­ty. Participat­ing Walmarts: In Broward County: 4700 S. Flamingo Road in Cooper City; 401 E. Sheridan St. in Dania Beach; 4301 S. University Drive and 8550 Stirling Road, both in Davie; 2500 W. Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale; 301 S. State Road 7 in Hollywood; 1800 S. University Drive in Miramar; 12800 Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines; 2300 W. Atlantic Blvd. in Pompano Beach; and 13550 W. Sunrise Blvd. in Sunrise. In Miami-Dade County: 9300 NW 77th Ave. in Hialeah and 17650 NW Second Ave. in Miami

Gardens. No Walmart locations in Palm Beach County are participat­ing yet. No Sam’s Clubs in South Florida are participat­ing yet.

Starting Thursday, Southeaste­rn Grocers Inc., Winn-Dixie’s parent company, will begin administer­ing COVID-19 vaccines at its Florida Winn-Dixie stores, and its Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarke­t locations. The company will offer the vaccines to health care workers, residents and staff of longterm-care facilities, as well as people ages 65 and older. Updates can be found at its websites: WinnDixie: winndixie.com/pharmacy/ covid-vaccine; Fresco y Más: frescoymas.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine; Harveys Supermarke­t: harveyssup­ermarkets.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine. In South Florida, only the Fresco y Más at18300 SW 137th Ave., Miami, is offering the vaccine.

Publix will expand its vaccine distributi­on from 325 pharmacies to 593 Publix stores across 41 counties. In South Florida, only Palm Beach County Publix pharmacies are offering the vaccine. Sign up at publix.com/covid-vaccine/florida

Broward County

Drive-thru sites: Call 866-2016313 to request an appointmen­t through the Florida Department of Health. For those requiring TTY access, the phone number is 833-476-1526. Agents will call people back to make drive-thru appointmen­ts as new appointmen­ts become available for the following sites:

Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek.

Vista View Park, 4001 SW 142 Ave., Davie. The site is open for second doses but will close at the end of the day on Feb. 11 due to constructi­on in the park. Anyone scheduled to receive the second dose of vaccine at Vista View Park on Feb. 12 or later should go to Tree Tops Park in Davie instead. Be sure to go on the day written on your vaccinatio­n card and bring your card with you.

Tree Tops Park, 3900 SW 100th Ave., Davie.

Markham Park, 16001 W. State Road 84, Sunrise.

Snyder Park, 3299 SW Fourth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. People who received their first COVID-19 vaccine at Holiday Park before Jan. 22 should go to Snyder Park to receive their second dose 21 days later, on the date written on their appointmen­t card at the time they arrived for their first dose. Also, Florida residents who are age 65 or older, or frontline healthcare workers, can request an appointmen­t for their first dose.

Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, 3700 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill.

The southwest entrance of Coral Square Mall, at the intersecti­on of University Drive and Atlantic Boulevard in Coral Springs. This is a park-and-walk-up site, not a drive-thru.

Lauderhill: Residents 65 years old or older can get vaccinated at John E. Mullin Park. Appointmen­ts are required. To schedule an appointmen­t call 954-730-3008 or make one online at lauderhill-fl. gov/covid-19. Call center hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Memorial Healthcare System: Memorial is providing vaccines for people 18-64 with one of 11 highrisk conditions — including cancer, diabetes and HIV — and who have already completed a Memorial Healthcare System physician office in-person or telehealth visit within the last 12 months. Monitor mhs. net/patients-visitors/coronaviru­s-disease/covid-19-vaccinatio­n for new openings for the general senior population.

Cleveland Clinic Florida: Seniors and those with a handful of underlying conditions can monitor clevelandc­linicflori­da.org for availabili­ty.

Holy Cross Health: The Fort Lauderdale hospital has started to vaccinate a limited number of its own patients. Check holy-cross. com/covidvacci­ne or call 954-2677600.

Broward Health: Broward Health provides vaccines at the Inter Miami CF Stadium at Lockhart Park, at 1350 NW 55th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Seniors should check BrowardHea­lth.org for updates on when new appointmen­t requests are available. The health system maintains a wait list as day-of appointmen­ts become available. Anyone who needs to cancel or reschedule an appointmen­t should complete the form at BrowardHea­lth.org/COVIDResch­edule.

Walmart will begin distributi­ng vaccines on Friday. Eligible individual­s can make an appointmen­t at walmart.com/COVIDvacci­ne. Appointmen­ts will be scheduled based on vaccine availabili­ty. Participat­ing Walmarts: 4700 S. Flamingo Road in Cooper City; 401 E. Sheridan St. in Dania Beach; 4301 S. University Drive and 8550 Stirling Road, both in Davie; 2500 W. Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale; 301 S. State Road 7 in Hollywood; 1800 S. University Drive in Miramar; 12800 Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines; 2300 W. Atlantic Blvd. in Pompano Beach; and 13550 W. Sunrise Blvd. in Sunrise.

Palm Beach County

Publix: All 67 Publix pharmacies in Palm Beach County are offering the COVID-19 vaccine. Go to: publix.com/covid-vaccine/ florida. The next round of registrati­on will be 7 a.m. Friday. Appointmen­ts slots will continue to open weekly as supply is available, 7 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. People can book up to four appointmen­ts at a time.

Palm Beach County: Seniors can sign up to be on a waiting list and alerted to availabili­ty of appointmen­ts through the state’s website at myvaccine.fl.gov.

Health Care District of Palm Beach: The Health Care District is providing vaccinatio­ns for people 65 and older who emailed the Department of Health requesting a COVID-19 vaccine at chd50feedb­ack@flhealth.gov. Those sites include the South County Civic Center in Delray Beach and Mid-County Senior Center on Lake Worth Road.

South Florida Fairground­s: The Health Care District is operating a vaccinatio­n center at the fairground­s. The shots will be given only to residents who have already on the state Department of Health’s wait list. To get on the list, use the pre-registrati­on site at myvaccine.fl.gov.

Fire Rescue: Delray Beach residents can sign up for “Code Red” alerts about when vaccines will be available at http://delraybeac­hfl. gov/prepared.

Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade County:

Seniors 65 and older and healthcare workers can pre-register just one time, online at miamidade.gov/vaccine or by phone by calling 305-6142014. Someone from the county will contact people to schedule the vaccine appointmen­ts at MiamiDade County sites, including Tropical Park, Zoo Miami, and Miami Dade College North Campus.

Florida Division of Emergency Management: The state has been offering vaccine appointmen­ts at Miami Marlins Stadium and Hard Rock Stadium. Residents can monitor 1-888-499-0840 for availabili­ty. People are urged not to arrive more than 30 minutes before their appointmen­t; anyone with an appointmen­t is guaranteed a vaccine.

Mount Sinai Medical Center: Mount Sinai has been providing vaccines to Miami-Dade County residents who are 75 and older. . Residents can monitor 305-6742312 for availabili­ty.

Jackson Health System: Miami-Dade’s public hospital network offers vaccines for patients age 55 and older who have certain health conditions. Check safeatjack­son.org for appointmen­t updates and availabili­ty. When vaccines resume, it will be at three locations:

Christine E. Lynn Rehabilita­tion Center, 1611 NW 12th Ave., Miami.

Jackson South Medical Center, 9333 SW 152nd St., Miami.

North Dade Health Center, 16555 NW 25th Ave., Opa-locka.

Southeaste­rn Grocers Inc., Winn-Dixie’s parent company, will begin administer­ing COVID19 vaccines at its Florida WinnDixie stores, and its Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarke­t locations. The company will offer the vaccines to health care workers, residents and staff of long-termcare facilities, as well as people ages 65 and older. Participat­ing stores: Fresco y Más: 18300 SW 137th Ave., Miami, frescoymas. com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine.

Walmart will begin distributi­ng vaccines on Friday. Eligible individual­s can make an appointmen­t at walmart.com/COVIDvacci­ne. Appointmen­ts will be scheduled based on vaccine availabili­ty. Participat­ing Walmarts: 9300 NW 77th Ave. in Hialeah and 17650 NW Second Ave. in Miami Gardens.

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