JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Beginning Monday, Duval County residents 65 years and above can get COVID-19 vaccines at two Jacksonville senior citizen centers not by appointment but based on their birth month.
Vaccines will still be given by appointment at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, but the demand for appointments has exceeded supply -- which will likely continue for the near future.
In response, as the city converts senior citizens in Mandarin and on the Westside from COVID-19 testing sites to places to receive vaccines, the city will offer vaccinations based on the qualifying recipient’s birthday -- no appointment necessary.
RELATED: Moncrief church to administer 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine | VA to hold drive-thru vaccination clinics for certain veterans
All patients must provide a photo ID that shows their birthdate and proves Duval County residency. First responders and health care workers should also bring a work badge. While vaccinations will be given first-come, first-served, eligible residents should only visit a vaccination site on the weekday associated with their birth month based on the following schedule:
- Monday – January and February
- Tuesday – March and April
- Wednesday – May and June
- Thursday – July and August
- Friday – September and October
- Saturday – November and December
These two vaccination sites will open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays:
Between the two sites, the city hopes to vaccinate just under 1,000 people each day with Pfizer vaccine.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the city has been committed to providing the information, support and access to resources citizens need to manage their health while medical experts work toward understanding and eliminating COVID-19,” Mayor Lenny Curry said in a statement. “With the establishment of two additional vaccination sites, we are taking a promising step toward the eradication of this virus and continuing our commitment to the Jacksonville community.”
The two centers stopped providing COVID-19 tests at 5 p.m. Thursday to begin the transition to vaccination sites.
To assist with a safe and organized vaccination process, patients must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Masks must be worn at all times
- Physical distancing requirements must be followed at all times
- Individuals who are feeling sick should not go to a vaccination site
- Patients should be in line no later than 6 p.m.
- Only caretakers may accompany patients who require assistance to a vaccination site
- Patients must park in the designated parking areas; patients cannot be dropped off
- Parking and waiting in line overnight will not be permitted
- Patients should follow traffic patterns and instructions from traffic monitors (a map is available at JaxReady.com/Virus?)
Patients should print and bring a completed DOH Vaccine Screening and Consent Form to the vaccination site. The form is available at COJ.net/CovidVaccineForm.
The Florida Department of Health in Duval County began giving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine Monday to anyone 65 years of age and older and health care workers who were able to get an appointment.
New appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine will be added through the online system every Thursday at 5 p.m., the health department said. On Thursday, more than 400,000 people tried to get online to book the new set of appointments, temporarily crashing the website. All appointments were booked within one hour.
The health department said the link will change each week and will be posted on the alerts page on the department’s website: duval.floridahealth.gov.
“I will remind folks that we still have limited availability of this vaccine, and Gov. DeSantis has prioritized its distribution for those at most risk. That’s why personal responsibility remains our greatest tool in combatting this virus,” Curry said.
Curry acknowledged that the city’s coronavirus case numbers are “trending upward” and again pointed to wearing masks indoors, socially distancing, avoiding large crowds and frequent hand-washing as ways Jacksonville residents can do their part to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors.
Duval County has reported 6,323 new cases in the last week.
Curry said he’s grateful to the scientists, doctors and medical professionals who worked so hard to make a vaccine available to the public so quickly.
“I’m grateful for my team, community leaders and public servants for getting plans in place to get this needed vaccine to our first responders, medical workers, and vulnerable populations,” Curry said.
For questions, citizens may visit JaxReady.com/Virus or call 630-CITY (2489) to be connected to a customer care representative.