JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville is set to begin giving second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at two senior centers starting Monday morning as the first public recipients of vaccines at the state-run Prime Osborn Convention Center will begin returning for a second shot.
Between the three sites, about 2,000 people are expected to receive their second doses each day this week. That’s nearly double the average number of people in Jacksonville receiving their first dose each day because supplies are still limited.
Second doses at senior centers
Monday marks 21 days after the vaccination sites at the Lane Wiley Senior Center and Mandarin Senior Center began administering the Pfizer vaccine to people age 65 and older and health care workers. People who got their first dose at one of the two senior centers should come back to that site for their second dose 21 days after their first shot. For example, if you received your first vaccine at a Jacksonville senior center on Jan. 11, you should return on Feb. 1. at a time based on the first letter of your last name.
Here’s the breakdown:
- If your last name begins with A, B, C, or D, come to the site between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- If your last name begins with E, F, G, or H, come to the site between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
- If your last name begins with I, J, K, or L, come to the site between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.
- If your last name begins with M, N, O, or P, come to the site between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
- If your last name begins with Q, R, S, or T, come to the site between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
- If your last name begins with U, V, or W, come to the site between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
- If your last name begins with X, Y, or Z come to the site between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
- Those who can’t come at their designated time are asked to come to the site between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Where, how to get COVID-19 vaccines in Northeast Florida
Patients will get a reminder phone call the day before their second dose is due.
Those who already had their first dose at the senior centers are asked to bring identification and the shot record card that they were given when they received their first shot.
To save time, the city also asks those who are getting their second dose to bring a completed COVID-19 vaccination screening and consent form, which can be found here. Printed forms will be available at the senior centers, as well.
The city said the second doses will be administered at the two senior centers until Feb. 12.
Both senior center sites stopped giving first doses on Jan. 21 after the city’s supply ran out.
First doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are only being administered in Jacksonville at the state-run vaccination site at the Regency Square Mall to people 65 and older and health care workers.
News4Jax was at the Mandarin Senior Center on Friday when a few hundred people received their second shot in what Mayor Lenny Curry called a “soft launch.”
“What we’ve demonstrated at the city level -- whether it be distributing stimulus checks, whether it be testing, and now vaccine distribution -- is that we do it smart, responsibly and efficient, but then we also adapt,” Curry said. “We have adapted here. We have moved the second round to be based on the first letter of the last name versus birthday, and we believe that will be an enhancement of the previous distribution, but I would say, if you got the first shot, you need to get the second one. Please get it. Don’t let it go by when you need to.”
Curry said there’s no timeline right now on when Jacksonville will receive more doses. The city does not have access to supplies.
Curry said the federal government is currently centralizing distribution for first doses at the Regency Square Mall. Once more doses come in, the city can distribute and potentially expand.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week that the state is expected to receive 307,000 first doses from the federal government this week.
Prime Osborn Convention Center to begin giving 2nd doses to seniors
The Florida Department of Health in Duval County on Jan. 25 began administering second doses for people who got their vaccine 28 days earlier at the vaccination site at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. Most who were vaccinated in the first few days were Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department employees and those who work for the city of Jacksonville, so they returned for a second shot last week.
Monday will mark 28 days after first doses of the Moderna vaccine began being administered to members of the pubic 65 and older and health care workers at the convention center.
Like the senior centers, the convention center vaccination site is no longer providing first doses of the vaccine, but, if you got your first shot at the convention center, return there 28 days later at the same time you had your first appointment at the convention center to receive the second dose of the Moderna vaccine.
For example, if your first dose was 2 p.m. Jan. 4, you will return to the Prime Osborn for your second dose at 2 p.m. Feb. 1. (The date of your second dose is on the back of the CDC vaccination record card you were given when receiving the first shot.)
Monica Sharp is among those who are set to get their second dose at the convention center on Monday.
“I’m 69 and active, but, you know, have avoided activity for the past year, so I’m looking forward to getting it,” Sharp told News4Jax on Sunday.
Sharp said the process of getting her first dose was a challenge but she understands it’s a new challenge for everyone.
“People are desperate to get it. I think most people are, and they’re scared of getting COVID,” she said. “I definitely was happy that a vaccine came out and that I was able to get it. I feel very lucky.”
The Florida Department of Health data show nearly 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been given in the state as of Saturday. While 1,364,416 of those shots were first doses and 314,528 were second doses, some days last week, as the supply of vaccine to the state has dwindled, the number of second doses began to exceed the number of initial shots.