After record day, FEMA COVID-19 vaccine site to focus on second doses

FEMA's COVID-19 vaccination site in Tampa will enter its second phase Wednesday, with the majority of shots set aside for second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

According to FEMA incident commander Carole Covey, 2,000 doses will be reserved for people who need their second shot. An additional 500 will still be offered to patients in need of their first doses.

"The priority with the second dose is to make sure that we receive full inoculation for everybody that’s received the first dose," Covey said.

This comes after the vaccination site, located at the Tampa greyhound track, administered more than 3,600 shots Monday after the state lowered the age limit to 50 years old.

As a result of the increase in volume, the FEMA site ran out of its allotment of Johnson & Johnson vaccine. At least 2,000 doses of Pfizer's vaccine will be available daily.

"It was a record here for the site, so the team was extremely ecstatic to be able to provide such a great volume to the community," Covey told FOX 13.

RELATED: COVID-19 vaccine distribution information in Tampa Bay area counties

During a morning news conference Tuesday, Governor DeSantis indicated he might soon lower the age requirement again, following the leads of states like Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee.

As the state inches closer to opening vaccines up for everyone, President Biden's May 1 deadline to do so is quickly approaching.

"We're going to get to a point where this is just going to be available to everyone. I think that's going to happen relatively soon," DeSantis said. "I think the [Biden] administration set a date: By May 1st they wanted it basically to be open to all adults and I can tell you that, Florida, that's going to happen way before May 1st."

"We're ready, we’re prepared," Covey offered. "Yesterday was a great testament of what a team can actually accomplish. We did, at some points, 375 to 400 vaccinations an hour. So this team is a very well-oiled machine. We work together and we can easily do 3,500, 4,000 vaccines a day."

Covey added it's important for people to remember to bring the COVID-19 vaccination card that they should have received when they got their first shot.
 

Coronavirus VaccineCoronavirus in FloridaNews