The University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will go from a place where Gators quarterbacks take shots into the endzone to a place where seniors will get COVID-19 shots on Friday.
The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County, with the help of UF Health, will launch the county’s largest coronavirus vaccination effort yet at the stadium’s Touchdown Terrace, located in the north end zone, on Friday morning.
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By the end of the day, 1,000 Alachua County residents 65 and over are expected to be vaccinated.
Unlike the football team, no walk-ons will be allowed. The free vaccinations are by appointment only for Alachua County residents who have already signed up through the health department.
As of Wednesday, the health department was in the process of sending people their invitations to schedule a vaccine through text messages. Those who have not signed up may register with the health department for future vaccination clinics at various sites around the county.
Thousands of people a day can eventually be vaccinated at the stadium, according to UF Health officials, should the county receive the necessary vaccine supply.
The vaccination effort at the stadium will be repeated periodically as vaccine doses become available from the federal government and state. No schedule is set beyond Friday.
Residents with appointments will receive the Pfizer vaccine, and the site will be staffed by workers from UF Health and the health department.
If you have an appointment, park in designated areas just north of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Please follow the signs along University Avenue for parking instructions. Special accommodations will be available for those who need assistance.
Socially-distanced seating will be provided, as vaccine recipients must be monitored for at least 15 minutes after getting their shot.
The Swamp isn’t the only venue where UF Health is working with the county health department. The health system helped vaccinate several hundred county residents 65 and older at the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Gainesville last week and hopes to offer vaccinations at other churches in the future.