Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Vaccines on way for South Florida seniors
Some South Florida seniors are likely to receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as this week at local hospitals and public parks.
Broward Health is still vaccinating its own employees but has enough of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to move forward with inoculating the county’s seniors. The hospital system will begin COVID19 vaccinations for people over 65 on Wednesday, but you must make an appointment in advance. The vaccines will be given out at a community site in Fort Lauderdale.
“When you call, you will be screened to make sure you meet the criteria,” said Jennifer Smith, a spokesperson for Broward Health.
Other groups — such as office staff of Broward Health physicians, EMS workers and community physicians and their staff members — also are eligible.
In Fort Lauderdale, Holiday Park will convert from a COVID testing site to a vaccination site early next week. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and Vice Mayor Steven Glassman, both over 65, will be among the first to get vaccinated at Holiday Park. Trantalis said the city’s fire department and the Florida Department of Health in Broward will be involved in the distribution to the many seniors in the community who are eager to get vaccinated.
“I have not only been concerned about getting the disease and recovering but also the lasting
effects,” Trantalis said. “I felt like I should serve as a role model, not just because I am a public official but also because I am in the 65-and-older group.”
Dr. Warren Sturman, a Fort Lauderdale cardiologist and coordinator of Broward Medical Association’s medical response team, said his organization will provide volunteers to help give vaccinations at Holiday Park. COVID PCR testing continues at Fort Lauderdale’s Mills Pond Park.
“There are a lot of logistics that still need to be worked out, and the city is working with the health department,” said Mike Jachles, spokesman for the city of Fort Lauderdale.
Most of the vaccines in the state have been for healthcare workers, longterm care residents and first responders, but that has now changed. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference last week announcing that the state’s next priority group for the vaccines would be people over 65, differing with federal recommendations that prioritized essential workers in the next group.
Counties across the state are setting up COVID vaccination sites at malls, convention centers, community centers and health department offices for seniors to receive inoculations.
The Cleveland Clinic will begin to schedule COVID vaccines for seniors and people with high-risk medical conditions starting Wednesday.
In Palm Beach County, seniors can make an appointment to get vaccinated but there is a limited amount of vaccine available, and a limited number of available appointments, a health department spokesman said Tuesday.
“We are working on expanding our infrastructure to handle the high demand we are experiencing,” said Alex Shaw, director of communications for Florida Department of Health, Palm Beach County. Shaw did not provide details on the specific vaccination sites. Some ideas tossed around in Palm Beach include a mobile unit that could go to senior communities.
Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach has reached out to its elderly patients and seniors in the community to encourage vaccination.
“At this time we are offering vaccinations to individuals who are 75 years and older who reside in MiamiDade County,” said Jackie Kaplan, a spokesperson for Mount Sinai. The hospital has begun scheduling appointments, noting that the older age group has faced the most difficult challenges with this pandemic.
South Florida’s older military veterans who already are registered with the Veteran’s Administration will have access to the coronavirus vaccine. “Care managers will reach out to eligible veterans this week to schedule vaccinations,” an agency spokeswoman said.
As the vaccine rolls out in South Florida, long lines are likely, even with appointments.
For the second day in a row COVID-19 vaccination sites in Lee County on Tuesday reached full capacity before planned with the cutoff coming nearly two hours before the first shot was scheduled to be given. The vaccines were offered to high-risk frontline healthcare workers and people 65 and older. Counties in Central Florida that have begun their vaccination to seniors report similar demand and jammed appointment lines.