ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County is vaccinating people 65 years old and above for COVID-19 and appointment slots are already filled for this week, the Emergency Management said Wednesday.
Members of St. Johns County Fire Rescue also started receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday. The line of people Thursday at the health department’s office backed up onto U.S. 1. Sky 4 flying over the site off U.S. 1 about a mile north of State Road 16 midday Thursday showed a long line of cars backed up along the highway.
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“We’ve seen our COVID numbers spike dramatically over the last several weeks as they have all across the country, and we want to make sure that our front-line responders who have that kind of direct patient contact, a lot of the time with the sickest COVID patients, have protection,” said Capt. Bob Snell. “We’re protecting our paramedics and EMTs so they can continue to work and get out there and do their jobs.”
Snell said the first dose of the vaccine will be administered to its emergency responders over the next few days. St. Johns County Fire Rescue is among the first groups in the county to get the vaccine.
Last week, Flagler Health+ received its first shipment of the vaccine and started administering it to its health care workers.
St. Johns County and the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County are working together on the first phase of vaccine distribution to the public. The state Department of Health in St. Johns County on Monday received 3,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which will be for:
- Health care personnel with direct patient contact
- Long-term care facility residents and staff
- Persons 65 years of age and older
According to the St. Johns County Emergency Management, the federal and state government are directly administering vaccine distribution to long-term care facility residents and staff through private health care providers and pharmacies.
Fire Rescue said it will help administer the vaccine to the general public when the vaccine is more widely available.
In a news release early Wednesday evening, St. Johns County Emergency Management announced the health department is currently vaccinating persons 65 years of age and older daily by appointment only, while supplies last, at the Health and Human Services Building at 200 San Sebastian View in St. Augustine.
“Per the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County, all available appointment slots are filled for this week and new appointments are currently not being scheduled,” the news release said.
In the future, to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment with the state Department of Health in St. Johns County, visit stjohns.floridahealth.gov. For additional information regarding local vaccination operations, contact the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County at 904-506-6081 or stjohnsfeedback@flhealth.gov. For additional information regarding the state’s vaccination plan, contact the Florida Department of Health at 866-779-6121 or covid-19@flhealth.gov.
The county has also activated its Emergency Operations Center hotline. Residents who contact the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County and are unable to reach a representative may contact the St. Johns County Emergency Operations Center at 904-295-3711 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
The county said it will actively provide additional information as more vaccines become available and the state Department of Health’s vaccination plan progresses. Visit the St. Johns County COVID-19 vaccinations webpage at www.sjcfl.us/coronavirusvaccinations or text SJCVACCINE to 888777 to receive updates.