Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

More pop-up vaccinatio­n sites are opening in Broward County.

- By Lisa J. Huriash

More of Broward’s cities are getting access to COVID19 vaccines so residents can get their shots closer to home.

Tamarac and Sunrise each expect to open vaccine sites exclusivel­y for its residents, starting Monday. Hollywood’s site will open March 29. And Lighthouse Point gets vaccines on April 5.

The cities’ vaccine supply comes from the state health department in Broward County. The cities handle patients, the venue and staffing, said Nina Levine, Department of Health spokeswoma­n.

Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said the details are still being finalized but he expects it to be at multiple locations, and it will be for any Florida resident.

“For everyone in southeast Broward, we haven’t had a permanent site,” he said. “It will make accessibil­ity much better. They have been waiting for a closer-to-home site, they have been apprehensi­ve about traveling.”

Tamarac’s site is a closed point of distributi­on for 600 seniors, providing Pfizer vaccines over 10 days.

Tamarac Fire Chief Percy Sayles said late Wednesday that the residents have already been identified — many of those getting the vaccines are shut-ins and known to the city — and the city has a backup list if people cancel their appointmen­ts. “Then we’ll go grab someone else,” Sayles said.

In Lighthouse Point, residents can ask for an appointmen­t. Anyone age 60 or older, or teachers, firefighte­rs and police age 50 or older can call 954-732-9335 on March 22 for appointmen­ts between April 5 and April 16. It will be a drive-thru site at Dixon Ahl Hall, 2220 NE 38 St., and for now, the plan is to offer Pfizer.

Lighthouse Point Mayor Glenn Troast has been asking state officials for the site since December. “We were very happy to take what we could get,” he said.

The idea is to help seniors who have been trouble getting an online reservatio­n, he said. Only if there are extra spots will any of the 500 spaces be opened to non-Lighthouse Point residents. But one spot is already reserved for a 96-year-old resident with no computer who hasn’t been able to get an appointmen­t, he said.

A pop-up site for senior communitie­s begins next week in Sunrise.

Firefighte­rs will be on site at Water Bridge, starting Monday; Aragon, on Tuesday; and Quail Run, on Wednesday, to sign up seniors for the vaccine. While there are new pop-up vaccine sites, other cities already have had sites open earlier this year.

Other cities that have already had vaccinatio­n sites for seniors include Plantation, which gave out 500 vaccines for seniors age 65 and older in February. “We’re trying to get more,” said Councilman Nick Sortal. “It’s all about supply.”

Other locations are more permanent.

In Lauderhill, residents can get vaccinated at John E. Mullin Park. To schedule an appointmen­t, call 954-730-3008 or go online at lauderhill-fl.gov/covid-19. In Miramar, seniors can sign up at miramarfl.gov/vaccine.

Oakland Park created the model for a city sites for vaccines, Levine said. It’s geared toward seniors who are deemed vulnerable to the virus. Those who are age-eligible may call 954-630-4335. Transporta­tion to the vaccinatio­n site, at the Collins Community Center, is available for those who need it.

Oakland Park Mayor Jane Bolin said it was “all hands on deck” with volunteers and firefighte­rs doing the vaccinatio­ns, and city librarians answering the phones to set up appointmen­ts.

It’s coming to an end though. The city is no longer making new appointmen­ts for first doses, and second dose appointmen­ts will be completed in early April.

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