WESTVIEW, Fla. – Monica Carres said she had been waiting since January to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The 60-year-old teacher finally got her turn on Monday.
She drove from West Palm Beach to Miami Dade College North Campus, 11380 NW 27th Ave., in Westview. The site doesn’t require appointments.
“Seniors are at home more. we have to go out and work,” Carres said.
Mike Jachles, a spokesman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said there are more vaccines available now that Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded eligibility to people who are age 60 and older.
“We have the mechanism in place to handle the capacity,” Jachles said. “From the time you are in line to the time you get the shot, it should be about seven minutes.”
Winfred Mills, 63, of Liberty City, agrees: “It’s good. Just come and take it.”
A prior expansion on eligibility included school employees, firefighters and law enforcement personnel who are age 50 and older. Younger patients are eligible with a COVID-19 Determination of Extreme Vulnerability form signed by a physician.
“I’m medically vulnerable,” Alison Pryor, 51, said. “My dad is 75. He’s vaccinated and I want to travel again.”
Liz Newman, 63, said she was impressed with how efficient the process was at the site at Miami Dade College North Campus, which is state-run and Federal Emergency Management Agency-supported.
Newman drove to Westview from Delray Beach. She is a healthcare worker, but she didn’t decide to receive the vaccine until about last week, she said.
“I decided that in service to humanity that I would do it,” Newman said.
According to the Florida Department of Health, 2,370,198 had completed the COVID-19 vaccine series in Florida as of Monday, including 203,829 in Broward and 258,271 in Miami-Dade.
In addition, 1,882,052 had completed the first dose of a two-dose vaccine in Florida as of Monday, including 172,648 in Broward and 268,380 in Miami-Dade, according to FDOH.
This didn’t include the progress that was being made on Monday in Miami Gardens, where appointments are required, and at Westview, North Miami Beach, and Miami Springs, where walk-ins are welcome.
As of Monday afternoon, 1,093 vaccines were administered at Hard Rock Stadium, 1,905 at Miami Dade College, 466 vaccines at 1401 Westward Dr. in Miami Springs, and 328 vaccines at 1770 NE 162 St., in North Miami Beach, according to Jachles.
The sites that welcome walk-ins are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
#VACCINES: As of today in #Florida anyone 60/older can get #COVID19 #vaccine. Teachers, firefighters & police officers can also get it. If you have underlying #health issues, you can get it by bringing state health form signed by your #doctor. Watch video for more! @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/DMnfVwepJY
— Hatzel Vela (@HatzelVelaWPLG) March 15, 2021
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