500 Escambia County Seniors Receive COVID-19 Vaccinations In First Large Scale Event

January 4, 2021

The first members of the general population  in Escambia County received the COVID-19 vaccine Sunday. Vaccinations were given to about 500 preselected underserved adults 65 and older at the Brownsville Community Center.

It was part of a pilot program from the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Division of Emergency Management to test the most efficient way to distribute the vaccine. The adults receiving the Modenra vaccine were chosen in advance by the FDOH, and they will return for a required second dose on Sunday, January 31.

Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore said Escambia County  was chosen by the state to host a closed “point-of-distribution” known as a POD. That’s why residents were required to have a voucher to receive a vaccine Sunday. County leaders had six days to put their plan together and distribute the vouchers.

“It’s exciting that we were chosen to do this,” Gilmore said. “It’s a monumental task, but we were honored to be able to do this for the community and help the state of Florida out and show them if this is going to work.”

Florida residents age 65 and older are the first from the general public to receive the vaccine under and order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The health department in Escambia County has an online form for people age 65 and older to request an appointment to received the COVID-19 vaccine at a future time. For the appointment request form, click or tap here. Residents are asked not to call or walk into the health department for the COVID-19 vaccine. The form only asks for a name and phone number. The health department has not said when they will contact interested individuals 65 and older, or how an appointment can be requested without internet access.

Photos Rebekah Castor/WEAR for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

12 Responses to “500 Escambia County Seniors Receive COVID-19 Vaccinations In First Large Scale Event”

  1. sam on January 5th, 2021 10:26 am

    finally. getting mine tomorrow. lots of people dead from this thing. i’m over 70. hope it works, tired of sitting home and wearing that@%#&%* mask. if i grow an extra ear so be it. i’m hard of hearing too.

  2. William issues to be concerned about than on January 4th, 2021 6:30 pm

    @ Charlotte R Bates
    If you are not a doctor, YOU are misinforming by narrating what you are not qualified to speak on.

    Doctors have more important tasks at hand than a B….chfest with fellow humans to sound relevant , trying to validate themselves.
    Good luck

  3. Charlotte R Bates on January 4th, 2021 5:20 pm

    CW, are you a doctor? I find it interesting that when I got the flu shot, many years ago, the next day, I was so sick I wanted to die. I didn’t say the vaccine made me sick, I said I was sick after taking the vaccine. Sooooo, suck it up butter cup, and get your head out of the sand. I am not misinforming the public. I just said I got really sick after I had the flu shot. That is a fact, cause it happened to me. It may not happen to anyone else, but it happened to me. I may have already had the flu virus, and when I got the shot, just brought it on. I don’t know. I’m not a doctor.

  4. sam on January 4th, 2021 3:07 pm

    hope i am on the list soon. living in century probably puts me on the bottom.

  5. Bowhunter on January 4th, 2021 1:15 pm

    @ ADAM — WELL SAID

  6. David on January 4th, 2021 12:38 pm

    @ Jill

    You are 100% correct.
    500 sheeple or Guinea pigs
    The vaccine was “Authorized” not ” Approved”
    Big difference
    The real virus is the politicians. Every single one!
    Im 67 my wife 66…lived this long by not putting my faith in any politician or news read.
    To each their own.

  7. Linda Ratliff on January 4th, 2021 12:16 pm

    I filled out the very short survey last week, and have no clue how people are being selected. I am 72 and Stage IV lung cancer. I was on the phone a couple times this morning trying to get an appointment for the vaccine, but the voice mail was full. Escambia Co. we need to do better for our citizens, especially vulnerable ones.

  8. Jim Walker on January 4th, 2021 11:14 am

    I signed up last week, unfortunately, not selected for the trial run. When my number is called, I’ll be there. So tired of being cooped up.

  9. CW on January 4th, 2021 10:49 am

    @charlotte

    The flu vaccine is normally only about 60% effective since the flu mutates so often. You getting sick just meant you fell into that 40% is wasn’t effective for, the vaccine did NOT make you sick.

    People really need to stop spreading this misinformation.

  10. Adam Evans on January 4th, 2021 10:48 am

    What does underserved mean. If it means you worked hard all your life and paid taxes and have never been on the public dole, then I should have been on that list to get vaccinated.

  11. Charlotte R Bates on January 4th, 2021 10:04 am

    Jill, I am with you on that. I know a lot of people fear this virus, and I understand their concerns. I wear my mask when I’m shopping, and I distant myself when I can. But, I refuse to take this vaccine and be a lab rat for them to practice on. I don’t even take the flu shot, cause the last time I did, I was so sick, I prayed to die. And believe it or not, I haven’t had the flu in years. Knock on wood. But each to their own, and just because my opinion does not comply with your beliefs does not mean you are wrong, nor does it mean I am wrong.

  12. Jill on January 4th, 2021 7:12 am

    Not my mama! I do not find it necessary for my parent to be the government’s test trial aka lab rat.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News