Miami- Dade’s first drive- thru vaccination site delayed.
A COVID- 19 vaccination site at Hard Rock Stadium — the first in Miami- Dade County — will not open until at least Monday, three days later than planned.
A state official said a website and phone number for sign- ups is still being finalized to make sure it won’t fail in a crush of calls. The sign- up information could be made public as early as Friday.
Gov. Ron De Santis visited the stadium in Miami Garden son Wednesday to announce the site, the first that the state will run. He expected it to be operating Friday and said about 1,000 people could be vaccinated per day if vaccine supplies lasted.
On Thursday, county officials said they still had no information. “So far we haven’t received any updates about how people sign up,” according to a spokeswoman who directed questions to state officials.
Spokesmen for both the Florida Department of Health and the governor’s office failed to respond to repeated requests for comment Thursday.
“I’m frustrated with being frustrated,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said about the lack of information.
Options for seniors age 65 and older to get the vaccine are limited.
The Veteran’s Administration is giving vaccines to vets who already receive its services. The Florida Department of Health in Broward County began drive- thru vaccine sites at county parks Sunday, with more locations planned.
Currently, all slots at the parks are full and the hospital districts that are giving vaccines say they can’t schedule anyone else until they get more deliveries.
Todd Templin, spokesman f or t he Fl or i da Department of Health in Broward County, said Thursday that at least one new vaccination site would open next week “and will be used initially to address existing appointments.”
Because of a computer system glitch, 40,000 people were put on the appointment list or got confirmation emails, but the agency was prepared for only about 26,000.
Plans also are underway in Broward to vaccinate seniors who live at three condo communities: Century Village in Deerfield Beach, Kings Point in Tamarac and Wynmoor in Coconut Creek.
In Palm Beach County, the list includes Century Village in Boca Raton, which i s getting 500 vaccines for eight days straight, according to the county’s medical society.
For seniors not in designated retirement communities, cities and physicians are going on their own.
The town of Palm Beach is making arrangements for its residents, and two concierge physicians in Boca Raton and Palm Beach Gardens arranged for a direct supply for their well- heeled clientele who pay an annual membership fee for access.
And the city of Miami Beach rented an industrial refrigerator months ago in preparation for the vaccines, said Gelber, and on Wednesday began a “homebound delivery ” service providing vaccines to homebound seniors. The service will be available “until there are no homebound seniors who want a vaccination. We want everyone vaccinated immediately. Every day we wait it’s dangerous.”