University of Tampa Mall COVID-19 vaccination site clogged with long lines

TAMPA – Confusion and long queues marred vaccinations Thursday at the state-supported University Mall site, where people waited hours and some seniors were turned away before they could receive their second dose.

The line of idling cars stretched for more than two miles at one point, the latest illustration of how the vaccine rollout in Florida over the past two months has gone awry. The unprecedented logistical challenge to give Floridians access to vaccines has been continually hampered by unclear, conflicting or shifting distribution plans, poor communication and limited supplies that have sometimes led to chaos.

Thursday’s issues stemmed in part from confusion over who was showing up for a second walk-in dose – although that doesn’t appear to be the only issue causing delays.

The last vaccine was not administered until around 8:45 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the health department. About 3,500 people received doses.

The state had to recruit additional staff to work through the evening to make sure everyone with an appointment would be vaccinated, said Samantha Bequer, a spokeswoman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

“People who don’t have an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will only be asked to come back when they have an appointment,” Bequer said in an email.

The University Mall vaccination site was originally opened by Hillsborough County as one of its vaccination sites, but was taken over as a state-supported site three weeks ago. This moment means that the first people to receive doses of the state-sponsored version of the site are now starting to return for second doses.

Hillsborough County had previously told residents who had received the first doses at their vaccination sites that they should return to the same site for their second doses 21 days later, even though they had not received confirmation of appointment, confirmed Kevin Watler, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough health department.

But state rules are different.

“Those who have to undergo a second vaccine will be vaccinated. We apologize for the confusion and know this is incredibly frustrating, ”Watler said. He said there was an “overwhelming” number of individuals who showed up without an appointment. He said he expects the site to have extended wait times over the weekend.

Bequer said in a statement that people who receive the first doses at a state-supported site will receive a call from the state before the date shown on their vaccination card so that an appointment for a second dose can be made. be programmed.

Yvonne Yolie Capin, 71, said she had never received such a call.

Capin, who served on Tampa City Council from 2010 to 2019, said she showed up at 9 a.m. at University Mall for her second shot and waited more than three hours before being turned down.

She had never received a call with an appointment for her second dose and could not reach anyone to make sure she could come back on Thursday. His vaccination record had the date Thursday for his second appointment. She said she had read that she should always come back 21 days after her first injection, even without an appointment.

Yet when Capin finally reached a checkpoint, she was turned down, she said.

“It’s very, very confusing,” she said.

She is determined not to return to the University Mall site, even if that means missing her second dose and having to start the vaccination process again, she said.

At 2 p.m., around 4,000 cars were idling in line for vaccinations. Traffic in some places has stopped on Fowler Avenue up to 56th Street, a county health department official confirmed.

Pamela Hackenberry waited in one of these cars.

The 65-year-old said she had a noon appointment to get her first shot. She showed up half an hour early after driving from Clearwater Beach.

Yet two and a half hours later, there was still a long line of cars in front of her.

“I can’t understand why I’m waiting so long,” she said. “It’s crazy.”

In a nearby car, Victoria Reynoso, 66, was starting to worry. Her meeting was for 1 p.m. and she was far from the front of the line. Her air conditioner was not working and all she had was a bottle of water. “I’m worried,” she said.

Valerie Pyles, 72, and her husband, Denzel Rogers, 74, were waiting even longer. They said around 2:30 p.m. that they had stood in line for six hours for scheduled appointments at 9:45 and 10:45 a.m. Pyles needs oxygen and she was starting to worry about the length of the wait.

At 4 p.m., police vehicles blocked some of the entrances to prevent more cars from showing up to the vaccination site.

From their line up away from the immunization check-in area, Al Larcher and his wife Michele, both 76 and from Sun City Center, continued their long wait. They had been in line for a short time before their meeting at 10 am. Lunch consisted of apple and peanut butter crackers. They used the washroom at a Fowler Avenue gas station while waiting in the line of cars on the road.

As of Thursday, more than 102,000 Hillsborough residents had received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, state data showed. Not all of these doses were from the University Mall site.

The county has so far reported more than 105,000 coronavirus cases and more than 1,400 deaths.

Bequer said people who are past the date on their vaccination card for a second dose and have not been contacted about making a second appointment should visit myvaccine.fl.gov , fill in their details and select the option from the drop-down menu. it says, “No, I’m looking for a second dose” under whether the user is looking for a first dose.

“The state is working to schedule second dose appointments as quickly as possible and we ask individuals to remain patient during this time,” Bequer said.

Times correspondent William March contributed to this report.

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