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COVID vaccine age expansion
Briona Arradondo reports
TAMPA, Fla. - People who are 60 years old and up will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida starting Monday. Governor Ron DeSantis says he’s lowering the age now that supplies are going up.
The governor said if vaccine deliveries continue to flow into the state, the age could soon drop even lower to 55.
Vaccine sites are doing what they can to prepare for the extra traffic. Appointments are still largely made online, a process that can be hit or miss for some Floridians.
"I think things are going to continue to get better. We’ve learned an awful lot in the year that we’ve lived with this horrible disease, and in the past two months we’ve also learned a lot about how to get the vaccination system working," said Dr. Jay Wolfson, a public health professor at USF Health.
Wolfson said health departments are coordinating with the state on how many doses they get, and that dictates how many slots open up for appointments.
"All three companies are producing a lot more, and the distribution system has a better advance notice capacity," said Wolfson.
For county-run sites in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hernando, and Pasco, people sign up through CDR Maguire’s patient portal.
RELATED: COVID-19 vaccine distribution information in Tampa Bay area counties
Spokesperson Steven Vancore said the website will update with the new age Monday, and they expect a rush to fill openings in the first few days. However, Vancore said CDR’s servers are ready to handle the extra web traffic.
For state-run sites, you can sign up for appointments at https://myvaccine.fl.gov/
However, if you have issues signing up, the state said eligible people can come in person.
"If they can’t, for whatever reason, do that, absolutely go for a walkup," said Erek Culbreath of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. "We encourage people to drive through, come with their cars and not come and park."
RELATED: Biden directs states to make all adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by May 1
Hillsborough County officials said they will add a third public vaccine site at 50th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard next Wednesday to handle the expanded groups. The Pinellas County Health Department said they would also add another community site soon.