St. Johns County COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments Booked Out

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. There are currently no available appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from St. Johns County, county officials announced Sunday.

Officials said the remainder of St. Johns County’s limited initial vaccination allocation will be assigned to those on the waiting list set up by the Department of Health, while the county awaits a second shipment of vaccine from the state.

Once St. Johns County receives a reassignment of the vaccine, a registration system will be launched for residents to schedule an appointment to receive an initial dose of the vaccine. The appointments are only available to health professionals and those aged 65 and over.

For updates on the St. Johns County COVID-19 vaccination program, visit www.sjcfl.us/coronavirusvaccinations, call the St. Johns County COVID-19 vaccination hotline at 904-295-3711, or text SJCVACCINE to 888777.

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The announcement comes after the county government stepped in to assist the St. Johns County health department and take over the logistics of vaccine distribution.

After several complaints about disorganization and long lines creating unsafe conditions in the province, the vaccine will be given in the province by appointment only from Monday. That’s when the vaccine will be given by appointment only at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center at 207 State Road in St. Augustine (1300 Duval St.).

County administrator Hunter Conrad said that when appointments begin, the first doses will be given from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and second doses will be administered (by appointment only) from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Tuesdays. Thursday and Saturday. .

For several days, the county health department has been offering COVID-19 vaccines on a first-come, first-served basis. That led to hundreds of people being desperate to get the vaccine in their car for miles at the department’s office in San Sebastian View, at US 1.

After many people camped out in their cars at night to secure a place in the queue, the health department opted to hand out 600 bracelets on Saturday and send everyone else away.

On Sunday – the last day of the ward on a first come, first served basis – 250 would be vaccinated at the health ward office. Delegates restricted the line from one day to the next, so only the first 250 in line were guaranteed to receive the vaccine. All others were rejected. In addition, cars were lined up in the parking lot of the provincial government complex instead of US 1.

“As hectic as this has been, now we have a bit of peace of mind,” Tim Willits, who arrived Saturday at 6:00 PM, told News4Jax on Sunday.

Hbernhard Clever, who arrived on Saturday at 5:30 pm, said on Sunday: “I think the organization was better today than yesterday. It’s just overwhelming with so many people wanting the photos. “

Conrad said the slots for Monday have already been filled by the 200 people on the health department’s waiting list. The health department said once those people have been vaccinated, it will be the end of the department’s initial allocation of 3,000 vaccines.

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