All Appointments Filled For Next Round Of Vaccines In Pinellas

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Coronavirus vaccine preregistration began at 10 a.m. Friday, minus the system snags that caused the preregistration system to crash last week, frustrating thousands of seniors age 65 and up.

Florida Department of Health-Pinellas officials said all appointments for the 10,000 doses of vaccine that the county received from the state were claimed by 11:30 a.m.

The county has contracted with a new vendor, CDR HealthPro, to register residents for vaccine appointments. It's the same vendor being used in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Speaking Friday morning at a news conference, Pinellas County Administrator said it's more reliable and easier to use.

Burton said county staff and fire paramedics are partnering with the DOH-Pinellas to distribute the 10,000 vaccines starting Tuesday. County offices are closed for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 18.

However, Burton added that the county is aware that demand exceeds the supply of vaccines the county is receiving from the state.

There are an estimated 250,000 seniors in Pinellas eligible to receive vaccines under Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's vaccination plan.

"We are well aware of the urgent need for more vaccine in our county and will continue to request the state to provide more to our hospitals, pharmacies and to the health department to distribute over the next weeks and months," said Burton.

"This first-come, first-served approach is still the fastest way to get shots in arms, which is the primary goal at this time," said Dr. Ulyee Choe, DOH-Pinellas director. The state has put the Florida Department of Health's 67 county offices in charge of vaccine distribution.

Appointments are mandatory to get the vaccine. Residents who were unable to book theirs on Friday may sign up on the portal for alerts when the next state shipment arrives here. There are no vaccines available for residents without appointments, and there is no waiting list.

Fire paramedic crews will operate four new public vaccination sites for seniors over 65 starting Tuesday, Jan. 19. Those locations are not being divulged to people showing up trying to get vaccinated who have not preregistered.

The state is also providing vaccine allotments and distribution to long-term care facilities, hospitals, health centers, pharmacies and local health agencies. The availability of vaccines at those facilities will be announced once they're available.

To get a vaccine appointment, residents must first create an account at the CDR HealthPro portal, answer some questions about medical history and complete a consent form, and then select an available time.

This process takes, on average, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the user. (Note: creating an account does not guarantee availability for this round of appointments. It is possible that those who completed the preregistration and the medical and consent portion Friday morning could get a notice that all slots have been booked.)

Those without internet access or who need assistance with the portal can call 844-770-8548. The call center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can provide guidance in English and Spanish. Any resident with the ability to access the internet is strongly encouraged to use the online portal, as phone wait times have been exceptionally long in neighboring counties using the same platform.

Appointments for the required second dose will also be made at the time of scheduling.

Family members must sign up and register individually for appointments.

Those arriving ahead of schedule for an appointment may be instructed to return at their scheduled time. For more information about vaccines and what to expect at your
appointment, click here.

Courtesy DOH-Pinellas

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