Florida is planning to get COVID-19 vaccines to more than 150 hospitals by next week Ben Conarck, The Miami Herald
Dec. 15 The Florida official in charge of coronavirus vaccine distribution said Tuesday that the news of Moderna s likely federal authorization puts the state on a timeline to vaccinate front-line healthcare workers at more than 150 hospitals within the next two weeks.
By 10:45 on Tuesday morning, about 100,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had been delivered to the five hospitals in the state s pilot program including Jackson Health System in Miami-Dade and Memorial Healthcare System in Broward, which inoculated its first workers Monday, according to Jared Moskowitz, the director of the state s Division of Emergency Management.
The initial group of nine to receive the shot included an emergency room physician, an ICU nurse, and a service worker who said being included in the initial rollout was humbling.
Jackson Health s initial share of the vaccine arrived a days after three other hospital systems - Memorial Regional in Broward, UF Health in Jacksonville and Tampa General - received their first doses. Advent Health in Orlando was also receiving a vaccine shipment on Tuesday.
“It is going to change the game. It is going to take a few months, but it is the beginning of the new year. I am working with the whole ICU and COVID response. To be now getting a vaccine is an exciting day, Jackson ICU Director Dr. David De La Zerda said.
At a news conference at Tampa General Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the vaccine rollout in the state would continue throughout the week.
“We are hoping that the Pfizer order is fulfilled for the next two weeks beyond we are getting today and tomorrow, DeSantis said.
The arrival of a vaccine among Jackson Health employees was met with muted enthusiasm. A survey released last week found just under half of staffers surveyed were interested in a vaccine in the first round. Jackson Health System in Miami will have to wait an extra day to receive the initial doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine. NBC 6 s Carlos Suarez reports
MIAMI HERALD
COVID unit nurse Yaimara Cruz reacts after receiving the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.
This post will be updated today, Tuesday, Dec. 15, and through the week with the latest information on COVID-19 in South Florida.
WLRN staff continues to add to community resource lists, including this article on where kids and families can get food while schools are closed, and this post about whether and where to get tested for coronavirus.
The dedicated website for the Florida Department of Health, including information about symptoms and numbers of cases, can be found here.
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