JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The COVID-19 testing site at the Regency Square Mall in Jacksonville became a state of Florida vaccination site Wednesday morning while it will continue to be Jacksonville’s largest testing site. After this week, it will be Jacksonville’s only state-run vaccination site for first doses.
Mayor Lenny Curry announced Wednesday he learned the Duval County Health Department will end giving first doses of the vaccine at the end of this week at the Prime Osborn Convention Center and will take no additional appointments for that site. All vaccinations from the state will be given at Regency.
Prime Osborn will remain open for second doses for those who receive their first dose there, according to the Health Department.
The line was abnormally long at Regency on Wednesday morning because of computer issues prevent the site from opening from the first hour, a Florida Association of Public Information officer told News4Jax.
RELATED: Jacksonville seniors stand in vaccine line for hours at Regency Square Mall
According to the Division of Emergency Management, appointments to get a shot at Regency can be made beginning Wednesday by calling 866-200-3762. An online system is in the works also but is not ready yet.
“Rather than wait for the online system to be ready, we started with this so we could vaccinate as many people who wanted it as fast as we can,” the Florida Association of Public Information Officers told News4Jax.
RELATED: County-by-county plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine
Those eligible for the vaccine include people age 65 and older or someone who works in the health care field. People requesting a vaccine must also be a Florida resident, the Division of Emergency Management wrote on Twitter.
Vaccines and testing will be available at the Regency site from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
The phone appointment system works as a queue, where you call and then someone will call you back to schedule you based on your place in the queue.
“As of this morning, there were over 1,000 people in the queue still to be called,” the Florida Association of Public Information Officers said. “They can make an appointment for days ahead as well.”
If receiving a vaccine, people are asked to enter at the Sears entrance. Restrooms are not available for public use and a face covering must be worn that covers the nose and mouth.
Vaccinations in St. Johns, Nassau counties
St. Johns County received an allotment of 1,950 Pfizer vaccines from the State of Florida this week. The vaccines are being given to Florida seniors age 65 and older and frontline health care workers.
Registration will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday for vaccination appointments on Jan. 22, 25 and 27. Appointments need to be be booked online or by calling 904-295-3711.
The state has a partnership with 14 Publix stores in St. Johns County. Appointments were available Wednesday, but were booked up quickly. More appointments are expected to be made available on Saturday.
Nassau County health officials said 8,800 people had registered their names for a vaccine waitlist through Eventbrite. The system selects people at random.
