No appointment necessary to get COVID-19 vaccine in St. Johns County, says Department of Health

ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida – After a day of confusion over COVID-19 vaccines that caused long queues at the St. Johns County Department of Health, Jake Quigley, business director for the county health department, told News4Jax that it was not necessary to make an appointment to receive the vaccine.

Cars started lining up at 5:30 a.m. Friday, hoping to be shot before the office closed at 3 p.m.

According to Quigley, the phone system for scheduling appointments has crashed and there is currently no way to reserve a place. The ministry’s website said all appointments for that week had been made, but some of the 280 vaccines given on Thursday were for people who did not have an appointment. Quigley acknowledged that there was confusion and frustration surrounding the department’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

There is massive demand that exceeds the supply of vaccines. Quigley said more than 55,000 people were fighting over one of the 3,000 vaccines currently available this morning. It is not known how many vaccines will be distributed on Friday.

More than 32 cars lined up outside the St. Johns County Health Department at 6:15 am Officials will begin immunizations at 9:00 am. The ministry did not indicate that people who could make appointments would receive preferential treatment or be treated first.

The health department calls for patience.

In Duval, Clay and Putnam counties, health departments have made it clear that people who show up without an appointment will not receive a vaccine.