Charlotte County Begins Distributing COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccine distribution began today in Charlotte and Manatee counties for high risk frontline medical workers and people 65 and older. WGCU's John Davis spoke with reporter Andrea Perdomo who visited a drive-through vaccination clinic at Harold Avenue Regional Park in Port Charlotte opened this morning.

Here is a transcript of their conversation:

John Davis:
Well, can you describe the scene for us? Is it busy there? Do things appear to be progressing in an orderly fashion?

Andrea Perdomo:
Well, I arrived here shortly before 9:00 AM when the vaccine site was going to open, and the line of cars was just reaching the crossroad with Loveland Boulevard, so it was pretty packed. But the cars are lined up and things seem to be running smoothly.

John Davis:
Although officials have advised against it, I know that at some vaccine distribution sites further south in Lee County, people have been camping out overnight. Are you seeing any signs of people having done anything similar there in Charlotte?

Andrea Perdomo:
No. So the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County was only administering the vaccine via appointment. So those who qualified, those that are 65 years of age or older, or frontline care workers, or long-term care facility residents or staff were required to go online and make an appointment in order to participate in the vaccinations today.

John Davis:
So the vehicles lined up outside that site you're out today are ostensibly people who have made an appointment.

Andrea Perdomo:
Correct. And there is someone at the beginning of the line, there's a tent set up, so it appears that they seem to be verifying the appointment date.

John Davis:
Gotcha, do you know if they're doing anything to help track folks who are maybe getting their first shot today? Because, as you know, a booster is required some 28 days later. It's probably important for people to know if you got your initial dose, and it was the Moderna vaccine. Then your booster needs to also be the Moderna vaccine. You can't interchange them with the Pfizer.

Andrea Perdomo:
County officials are requesting is that if you receive the vaccine in Charlotte County, the first initial dose, that you come back to the same location in Charlotte County to receive the second dose. That seems to be clear across the Department of Health in different counties in Southwest Florida. They are requesting that whoever gets the initial vaccine to make sure that they receive the second dose in the same county where they received it.

John Davis:
How can people in Charlotte County make an appointment?

Andrea Perdomo:
In Charlotte County, there is an organization called Community Organizers Active In A Disaster. They have the website that has been running COVID-19 relief fund applications. The website for that is COADFL.ORG. That's the place where people can go in Charlotte County to make appointments.

John Davis:
Understood. Any indication as to how many doses of the vaccine they're going to be able to provide on a daily basis there in Charlotte County?

Andrea Perdomo:
While some departments of health have said the amount that they received, or the amounts that they will be administering per day, Charlotte County, from what I have seen so far, hasn't said that. They have said that they received a limited amount, and they will add dates and appointments as they receive more of the vaccines. That's as far as I know.

John Davis:
From your reporting earlier this week, we know that officials in Lee County are urging people to seek out the vaccine in the regions that they live in. But of course, they weren't going to be turning anyone away. Is there a similar policy in place there in Charlotte?

Andrea Perdomo:
My understanding is, as long as you have the appointment, that you are good to go here in Charlotte County.

John Davis:
Well, you've answered my questions, Andrea. Is there anything else that you would want to add, or that I should have asked you about but didn't?

Andrea Perdomo:
This is a collaborative effort. Emergency management and the County EMS are also providing support at this site. Today's the only day in December where they're going to be doing the vaccines in Charlotte County. There are other vaccination dates that are on the books so far. That's January 4th through the 8th. But the website indicates that those appointments are all booked up. Officials in Charlotte County are recommending for people to check the website regularly, because as I mentioned earlier, as they get more of the vaccine, they will be adding dates.