Vaccine preregistration portal and phone line goes live

Image via AP.

Florida has launched a COVID-19 vaccine preregistration system that will alert individuals when appointments are available at state-supported sites in their area.

The new portal comes after complaints that the state’s decentralized vaccine rollout made finding available shots difficult, particularly because of the vaccine’s scarcity. For people without internet access, each county also has a designated phone number to save a spot in line.

Through the new system, individuals 65 and older and frontline health care workers can preregister for appointments at state-supported sites. People choose their county and submit personal and contact information and choose their preferred contact method — phone, text or email.

People can also sign up to be notified when they become eligible for a vaccine.

Vaccine demand exceeds the current availability in Florida and across the country. Florida has been able to administer more than 400,000 shots per week, but the state has only received about 266,000 first-round shots per week this month.

Next week, Florida will get an additional 40,000 doses.

Appointments may not be available for several weeks in some counties, the Department of Health and Division of Emergency Management warned.

Health care workers, long term care facility residents and staff, and people 65 years old and older can currently preregister and get vaccinated.

People who are extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 cannot schedule an appointment through the portal but can get vaccinated through a hospital.

Per a public health advisory Surgeon General Scott Rivkees issued last week to prevent “vaccine tourism,” Florida residents and part-time residents can get the vaccine, as well as nonresident health care workers that are serving in the state. However, only Florida residents can get vaccinated at state-supported sites.

Vaccines are currently available at county health departments and some hospitals, long term care facilities, houses of worship, Publix Pharmacies and select COVID-19 testing sites that have been converted to vaccination sites.

Access the preregistration website at myvaccine.fl.gov or view the list of county phone numbers here.