COVID vaccine live updates: What you should know in South Florida on Monday, March 29
COVID-19 vaccine rules can be confusing in South Florida. Here’s the latest news on where shots are available and who is eligible:
What’s new today?
▪ Florida has clarified that 16- and 17-year-old teenagers will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5, the same day that all adults in the state become eligible. However, there will be some restrictions on where teens can get a shot. For starters, the only vaccine authorized in the United States for emergency use in people who are 16 and 17 is Pfizer’s.
▪ Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines were 90% effective after two doses, the U.S. government found in its first real-world study of their effectiveness, the Associated Press reports. The study is the government’s first look at how the shots have been working beyond the drugmakers’ initial experiments.
▪ COVID-19 was likely transmitted to humans by animals, according to a joint World Health Organization-China study on the origins of the deadly disease. Researchers say they have determined the transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario. A lab leak is “extremely unlikely,” according to a draft copy of the study obtained by the Associated Press.
▪ More Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are available Monday at the federally-supported vaccination site at Miami Dade College North campus. This is good news for people 40 and older who just became eligible for a shot. The site doesn’t require appointments, so you can just show up and wait in line.
▪ Hialeah’s new vaccination pop-up at Babcock Park will not be opening Monday because of a supply shortage from the state, said Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez. The pop-up is now expected to open Wednesday.
▪ People 40 and older can now get the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida. You don’t need to get the shot in the county where you live, but you will need to show proof of Florida residency.
▪ Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has tested positive for COVID-19 as the troubled South American nation experiences a new surge in COVID-19 cases.
▪ Sgt. Shane Owens spent nearly 30 years serving the people of Broward County, and on Saturday deputies say he died from the novel coronavirus. Born in New Albany, Indiana, in 1972, the 48-year-old decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Who can get COVID-19 vaccines in Florida and who can’t? Do you need proof of residency?
On April 5, Florida’s vaccination age criteria drops from 40 to 16 for Pfizer’s vaccine and 18 for Moderna and Johnson’s & Johnson vaccine.
For now, Florida is giving vaccines to people 40 and older, healthcare workers with direct patient contact and long-term care facility residents and staff. Anyone under 40 who a physician determines is “extremely vulnerable” to COVID-19 because of a preexisting medical condition can also get the vaccine.
Keep in mind that people with high-risk conditions will need their physician to sign an “at-risk” form before they can get the vaccine. The form can be downloaded at https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/. Some hospitals may not accept the form because they have their own system in place or have additional requirements.
It’s also worth noting that pre-K-12 school personnel and child care workers 18 and older can also get the vaccine at federal-run sites and pharmacies across the state.
Only Florida residents and snowbirds can get the vaccine, but there is no county residency requirement in place. That means that if you live in Miami-Dade, you can get the vaccine in Broward, or vice versa. You will need to show proof of Florida residency.
For snowbirds or part-time residents, the proof needs to be in the form of two documents such as a lease agreement and a utility bill no more than two months old, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Anyone else who lives in another state or country can no longer get the vaccine in Florida. Nonresidents who have already received the first dose in Florida will still be able to get the second dose.
The change was made to curb vaccine tourism, or people who travel from another state or country to get the vaccine in Miami or another part of the state.
Who should not get a COVID-19 vaccine?
People who have had a severe allergic reaction to ingredients in the vaccine or had a severe reaction after a previous dose. Ingredients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can be found on FDA.gov.
How many people have received the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida?
Florida’s Department of Health did not issue a COVID-19 vaccine report on Sunday because its record system was undergoing maintenance. According to Saturday’s report, 209,668 people in Florida have completed the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine and 2,865,665 people have completed the two-dose series of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.
Of those who have been fully vaccinated, 366,250 were Miami-Dade residents, 266,519 were Broward residents, 262,076 were Palm Beach residents and 11,496 were Monroe residents.
What COVID-19 vaccines are available in Florida? How many doses do I need?
Florida has three vaccines available: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
The Pfizer vaccine requires two shots, three weeks apart, and can be given to people 16 and older. Moderna’s vaccine requires two shots, one month apart, and can be given to people 18 and older. Johnson & Johnson’s is a single dose and can be given to people 18 and older.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are not interchangeable, however, which means that if your first shot was the Pfizer vaccine, your second shot cannot be the Moderna vaccine, according to the CDC.
COVID-19 vaccination sites in South Florida?
Pharmacies:
The following pharmacies offer COVID-19 vaccines in select stores by appointment-only:
▪ Publix stores in Florida offer vaccines. To check for a slot, visit publix.com/covid-vaccine/florida.
▪ Navarro Discount Pharmacies and CVS y más stores in Miami-Dade. Some traditional CVS stores across Florida also have doses. To check for availability, visit CVS.com or call customer service at 800-746-7287.
▪ Some Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más stores offer vaccines in South Florida. For Winn-Dixie, visit winndixie.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine. For Fresco y Mas, visit frescoymas.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine.
▪ Some Walmart and Sam’s Club stores offer vaccines, including in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at Walmart, visit walmart.com/COVIDvaccine. For Sam’s Clubs, visit samsclub.com/covid.
▪ Some Walgreens stores offer vaccines. To check for availability visit https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp
Federally supported site in Miami-Dade
▪ Miami Dade College North campus is the first federally supported vaccination site to open in South Florida. Appointments are not required and walk-ins are welcome. The site is open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is a walk-up, which means people wait in line instead of in their car.
Anyone who lives in Florida and falls under the state’s vaccine criteria can get the vaccine at MDC North. This includes people with at risk conditions who have an “at risk” form signed by their physician. A doctor’s note is also accepted. Pre-K-12th grade school employees and childcare workers can also get the vaccine.
The FEMA pop-up sites are at Ronselli Park Youth Center, 250 SW 114th Ave. in Sweetwater, and Florida City Youth Activity Center, 650 NW Fifth Ave. The sites will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through March 31 and will then move to North Miami Beach and Miami Springs. The pop-ups are administering second dose Pfizer shots only.
MDC North will stop offering first dose Pfizer shots and only offer second doses of the Pfizer vaccine from April 7 to April 14.
Preregister for an appointment in Miami-Dade and Broward counties
You can preregister for an appointment in Florida through a statewide website and phone system.
The website is myvaccine.fl.gov. You can also pre-register by phone. To find the designated number for your county, visit floridahealthcovid19.gov.
Anyone who preregisters for a vaccine appointment will be notified once they’re eligible and a slot becomes available at state-supported or federally supported vaccination sites in their county, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which is tasked with the state’s vaccine distribution.
On Monday, Florida’s age criteria lowered from 50 to 40. On April 5, the age drops from 40 to 16 for Pfizer’s vaccine and 18 for Moderna and Johnson’s & Johnson vaccine. Once you get an appointment, you will need to show proof that you are a Florida resident.
State-run sites in Miami-Dade County include Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and Marlins Park in Miami.
State-run sites in Broward County include Snyder Park in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Square Mall in Coral Springs, Markham Park in Sunrise, Tree Tops Park in Davie, Trade Winds Park in Coconut Creek and Central Regional Park in Lauderhill, TY Park in Hollywood and Pompano City Centre in Pompano Beach.
Keep in mind that people under 40 with high-risk conditions will need their physician to sign an “at-risk” form before they can get the vaccine. The form can be downloaded at floridahealthcovid19.gov.
Florida residents who do not meet the priority criteria can also sign up to receive email updates to learn when they will be eligible to receive the vaccine.
Hospitals and other COVID-19 vaccination sites in Miami-Dade, Broward
Miami-Dade County:
The county has a website, miamidade.gov/vaccine, where it posts updates on where seniors and eventually the rest of the general public, will be able to find and schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments. On April 5, Florida’s vaccination age criteria drops from 40 to 16 for Pfizer’s vaccine and 18 for Moderna and Johnson’s & Johnson vaccine.
For now, people 40 and older and healthcare workers with direct patient contact can book a slot through the portal. So can law enforcement, firefighters and pre-k-12 school personnel 18 and older. Long-term care residents and staff can preregister, too.
Anyone 18- 39 considered by their physician to be “extremely vulnerable” to COVID-19 will also be able to schedule a slot. Everyone who books a slot will need to show proof of Florida residency.
If you are a healthcare worker, law enforcement, firefighter or an educator, you will also need to show proof of employment with a badge, ID or pay stub. People under 40 with an at risk condition will need to show a physician-signed “at risk” form that can be downloaded from the Florida Department of Health’s website or from the county’s online portal.
County-run sites include Zoo Miami, Tropical Park and the Homestead Sports Complex. You can also call 305-614-2014 to preregister.
Florida residents who don’t qualify for the vaccine yet can also sign up through the website to be given updates on the county’s vaccination process.
Here are other places that have vaccines. Some locations may be vaccinating specific groups from Florida’s priority list so check the location’s website for details.
▪ The City of Opa-locka COVID-19 vaccine site is at the Helen Miller Center, 2331 NW 143rd St.. The site is open every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Appointments are not required but pre-registration is recommended. To pre-register, visit Commvax.patientportalfl.com.
▪ Bucky Dent Park, 2250 W. 60th St., in Hialeah. Anyone who meets Florida’s vaccine criteria can get a shot here. No appointments are needed. You will wait standing in line, instead of in your car. The site is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or until supplies run out.
▪ Hialeah residents who are unable to leave their homes can call 305-863-2955 to schedule a homebound vaccination.
▪ Overtown Youth Center, 1551 NW First Ave, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.. The state-run site does not require appointments. You will wait standing in line, instead of in your car. You must fall into one of Florida’s priority groups to get the vaccine.
▪ Oak Grove Park, 690 NE 159th St. is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The state-run site does not require appointments. You will wait standing in line, instead of in your car. You must fall into one of Florida’s priority groups to get the vaccine.
▪ Homebound seniors can email their name and phone number to HomeboundVaccine@em.myflorida.com and someone will get back to you about setting up an appointment. You can also call 866-779-6121 to schedule an appointment.
▪ Jackson Health System, the county’s public hospital network. To check for available appointments, visit https://jhsmiami.org/comvac/.
▪ Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach is no longer booking appointments and has canceled all first-dose appointments for Jan. 23 and later because of supply constraints. Second-dose appointments are not affected. To check for updates, visit msmc.com/coronavirus-update/
▪ Baptist Health is one of the county’s largest private hospitals. To check for updates, visit Baptisthealth.net/vaccine.
▪ Seniors who seek care with Leon Medical Centers can call customer service at 305-642-5366 to schedule a free COVID-19 vaccination appointment. If you need transportation, let the operator know so they can also schedule a driver to pick you up. Appointments will be scheduled until Leon runs out of vaccines.
▪ Jessie Trice Community Health System is offering vaccines to people eligible under Florida’s guidelines. To check for available appointments, call 305-637-6400.
▪ Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is offering vaccines to young adults ages 16 to 21 who are being treated for certain high-risk medical conditions. To check for slots, visit Nicklauschildrens.org/Covid19Vaccine.
▪ All veterans in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties who are patients of the Miami VA Healthcare System can get the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of age and medical condition. You must be enrolled and eligible for VA healthcare benefits. Some of the sites require appointments, other locations accept walk-ins. Veterans who want to make an appointment can call 305-575-7000 or contact their care team. To learn more, visit https://www.miami.va.gov/services/covid-19-vaccines.asp
Broward County:
▪ Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale is offering COVID-19 vaccines to people under 65 who have certain medical conditions that make them at risk for severe COVID complications. Priority will be given to Holy Cross Medical Group patients, the hospital said. For details on how to request an appointment, visit www.holy-cross.com/covidvaccine.
▪ Broward Health, to check for appointments, visit https://www.browardhealth.org/pages/being-healthy-vaccine
▪ Fort Lauderdale’s Inter Miami CF Stadium is a COVID-19 vaccination site. Appointments for this site are also booked through BrowardHealth.org
▪ Memorial Healthcare System ran out of COVID-19 vaccines. Once doses are available again, appointments can be made through the MyChart portal, https://mychart.mhs.net for current Memorial Healthcare patients. Others will have to call 954-276-4340.
The appointment-only vaccine locations listed in the website above are:
The Memorial Regional Conference Center, 3501 Johnson St. in Hollywood, noon to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.
Memorial Specialty Pharmacy, 9581 Premier Pkwy. in Miramar, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Certain high-risk 16- and 17-year-old patients at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital may also be eligible for the vaccine. Appointments can be scheduled through their MyChart account.
▪ All Cleveland Clinic Florida locations, including its Weston campus, have run out of vaccination appointments for now. Cleveland Clinic said it will resume scheduling appointments through its website for current patients once it gets more doses. To check for slots, visit https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine/florida
COVID-19 vaccines in Monroe County?
More places are offering the COVID-19 vaccine in the Florida Keys.
Eligible Florida residents can now get vaccinated at Winn-Dixie stores in Key West and Tavernier, and at all Publix stores along the island chain. Appointments are required.
For Winn-Dixie, check https://www.winndixie.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine. For Publix, check https://www.publix.com/covid-vaccine/florida.
This story was originally published March 29, 2021 at 9:39 AM with the headline "COVID vaccine live updates: What you should know in South Florida on Monday, March 29."
