Second day for Orlando FEMA vaccination site sees higher turnout

ORLANDO, Florida – Day two of the FEMA Orlando mass vaccination site began with a higher turnout after the site failed to reach its 2,000-dose capacity on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people lined up early Thursday on the west campus of Valencia College.

“We have a significant increase from what we had yesterday,” Lt. Col. Troy Fisher said at a press briefing Thursday afternoon. “We are now operating exactly as we would have hoped to work all the time.”

Fisher said the site averages about 250 shots per hour.

FEMA officials said more than 2,000 doses were administered as of Thursday.

The site used Wednesday’s remaining doses and also used Tuesday’s test vaccines.

The site almost reached 90% of its capacity on the first day, officials said, attributing the lower-than-expected turnout to the rainy weather on Wednesday morning and the fact that it was the first day.

Officials said they were making changes on Thursday to improve the experience for those who have to wait a while at the site to get vaccinated.

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“Tents are being erected, we are moving the line to make sure people are not in traffic or that traffic can still flow. So, day in and day out, we’re making improvements to this site to make sure we can take care of the people of Orlando, ”said Fisher.

The site will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and is expected to remain open for at least eight weeks, according to the Orlando Police Department.

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To encourage higher turnout, organizers said they were working to make it known that no appointments were necessary on site.

Those who are eligible to receive the vaccine can pre-register by clicking or tapping here, however, walk-in visits are also accepted.

On Thursday, an executive order from Governor Ron DeSantis states that people eligible for the vaccine include people 65 and over, law enforcement officers 50 and over, firefighters 50 and over, school staff K-12 50 years and over, healthcare workers. and extremely vulnerable people with a form signed by a doctor.

However, the federally-run site expanded its eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday to include K-12 teachers, child care staff and other school employees after a call. President Joe Biden to vaccinate these workers by the end of the month. Publix, CVS and Walmart have also broadened their eligibility criteria to offer photos to these workers.

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[READ: Here’s where Florida teachers, school staff and child care workers can get the COVID-19 vaccine]

Yukeeba Mays, a 49-year-old teacher at West Orange High School, was able to get the shot on Thursday after the site started offering photos to those who met the expanded criteria, just a day after she was initially turned down on the same site. for not meeting the state age requirement.

She said she was emotional after hearing the news that she was now eligible and rushed to get the shot as soon as she could.

“I was ecstatic because we should have been the priority (on) day 1. I mean, I hear about other states opening schools but we’ve been open since August, teaching face-to-face ( course) since August and I’ve been immunocompromised, too, so going into the classroom every day, I pray to be safe, ”Mays said.

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Katherine Hammond is a 37-year-old teacher who recently extended her maternity leave because she was afraid to go back to school and potentially bring the virus home. She said that now that teachers of all ages can get the vaccine, she will feel safer to return to work.

“I miss my kids endlessly, I miss the people I work with and it makes me feel a lot better to go back and be able to end the year strong,” she said.

Shelia Jones is a K-12 school district employee over 50 who also waited to be shot on Thursday at the FEMA website. She said she was delighted that the vaccine was now available to educators.

“I think it’s important. (The teachers) are around the children. They need to be vaccinated because they are at risk, ”Jones said.

She said the lines were pretty long on Thursday but everything went pretty well.

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