Florida officials launch statewide COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration website, Sarasota and Manatee County to keep their current websites (Source: Bing Guan) By ABC7 Staff | January 29, 2021 at 3:24 PM EST - Updated January 29 at 3:55 PM
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Florida state officials have developed another way for residents to register for available COVID-19 vaccines. It doesn’t replace your local health department’s website, but it will notify you when more appointments are available.
State officials on Friday announced the launch of an online pre-registration system for the COVID-19 vaccine. The site is called
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“COVID-19 vaccines continue to arrive in Florida in extremely limited supply. As we await additional vaccine supply from the Federal Government, we urge currently eligible Florida residents to save their place in line by pre-registering today,” reads a note on the site.
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During a virtual town hall, titled “The Black and Brown Race and COVID-19 Vaccine,” hosted by the Sarasota NAACP, local doctors talked of their own experiences with the vaccine and particular risks of COVID-19 complications faced in their communities.
Until a vaccine can be more widely distributed, doctors are urging people to keep wearing masks and social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The main distribution point for coronavirus vaccine delivery in Sarasota County has depleted its supply and does not know when it will receive more, a health official said Sunday. When we left the office on Friday, we were down to zero and waiting to receive more, said Sarasota County Department of Health officer Chuck Henry, during an online town hall to discuss concerns about coronavirus in Black and Hispanic communities.
The slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine on the Suncoast is facing harsh criticism. Those qualified to receive the vaccine say securing an appointment is nearly impossible.
Covid case reporting has Longboat concerned
STEVE REID
sreid@lbknews.com
The recent uptick in Covid cases and especially how the state of Florida reports data has Longboat Key Town Manager Tom Harmer concerned.
The problem centers on the fact that when an individual tests positive for Covid, the state lists the case as occurring in the zip code that the individual identifies as their primary residence. The problem is, Longboat swells in season to a population of up to 20,000, of which less than 7,000 are primary residents of the island.
“This is concerning because we’re heading into season, the numbers are up, and the way the state collects and reports this data makes it difficult to interpret and use for planning,” said Harmer.