Kelly Hayes
Hillsborough County will begin vaccinating individuals 65 and older on this coming Wednesday.
The county has allocated an initial 4,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for front-line health care workers and seniors, who are more vulnerable to coronavirus complications. About 1,500 of those vaccine doses will be distributed at four vaccine distribution sites strategically located across the county, according to a county news release.
The four vaccine distribution sites in Hillsborough are:
— North University Mall (parking lot) 2200 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa
— South Vance Vogel Sports Complex 13012 Bullfrog Creek Road, Gibsonton
— East Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds 2700 W. Risk St., Plant City
— West Ed Radice Sports Complex 14720 Ed Radice Drive, Tampa
The vaccination sites were chosen for their geographic diversity, available resources and population density of residents age 65 and older, according to the county. Appointments are mandatory in order to receive a vaccination at the sites, and can be made online or by calling 888-755-2822 starting Monday.
The announcement from Hillsborough follows that of neighboring Pinellas County, which announced earlier this week that it plans to start administering vaccines to those 65 and older next Tuesday.
So far, Hillsborough County has vaccinated 13,562 people and Pinellas has vaccinated 13,559, according to state records.
Pinellas County was selected as part of the pilot program to be among the first two counties in Florida to provide vaccines to those in skilled nursing facilities. That includes the county’s 68 skilled nursing facilities, in which the county immunized 6,700 staff members and residents within five days of the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine. The county also provided vaccines to EMS and fire rescue who administered vaccines, and other healthcare personnel.
In the continuation of the pilot, the county will complete first and second doses of the vaccine in facilities starting next week.
For those who are 65 and older, Pinellas County will open a reservation system on noon Monday, Jan. 4. More information will be released at a later date on how to reserve a time at a designated vaccination site.
Florida has received 367,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which will be distributed to 226 hospital locations that did not receive doses in the first allocation of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Hillsborough County’s Tampa General Hospital was one of the five hospitals chosen to receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine, of which it received 20,000.
Although Hillsborough anticipates limited vaccine availability over the next several weeks, it expects new supplies of vaccines from the state on a weekly basis, focusing on administering the vaccine to those in long-term care facilities, front line health care workers and seniors over 65.
Florida has made about 74,000 vaccines available for health care partners across Hillsborough County, including Tampa General Hospital, BayCare Health System, CVS and Walgreens, according to the county.
Hillsborough County Emergency Management also is coordinating with the state for mobile distribution of vaccines to group homes and independent living facilities.
Both counties are continuing to see high COVID-19 case numbers.
Pinellas County confirmed 723 new cases of COVID-19 in Thursday’s report, which covers Wednesday, bringing its overall caseload to 44,975. The county confirmed four additional deaths related to the novel coronavirus, for a death toll of 1,049.
