Residents Frustrated After Difficulties Registering For Vaccine

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Since receiving its first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine Moderna, the Department of Health in Sarasota County has been “overwhelmed” by requests, G. Steve Huard, public information officer for the agency, said.

So far, as of Monday at 12:05 a.m., 6,503 vaccinations have been administered in Sarasota County, according to the state’s vaccine report.

Vaccines are currently only being offered to frontline health care workers, seniors 65 and older only, and long-term care facility residents and staff. This is in accordance with an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Hospitals may also vaccinate people deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

During its first week of availability, the DOH in Sarasota offered four rounds of vaccine appointments, each one filling up within minutes of registration opening. That includes appointments that became available around 8 a.m. Monday. Each time, about 400 doses are available for each vaccination clinic.

A fifth round of vaccine appointment registration for frontline health care workers and those 65 and older will open at 3:30 p.m. Monday, according to a text message sent through the county’s emergency alert system around 12:19 p.m. Residents can visit the DOH vaccine registration link around that time to sign up for a time slot.

Sarasota County residents are frustrated by the county’s distribution process, though. Many shared their thoughts about the vaccination process on Sarasota Patch’s Neighbor Posts page.

Leslie Gordon shared that she tried to register for an appointment Sunday afternoon through Eventbrite, a platform for distributing tickets to events, “at exactly 3:30 p.m.,” when registration opened. She was placed in a “waiting room” and then kicked out about “30 seconds later,” she said.

“All the spots (had) been reserved,” she wrote. “Then, supposedly, there would be another registration session at 8 am today (Monday). Well, guess what. I checked it out at 7 am, and all the spots are already taken!”

Another Sarasota Patch reader, Rich Unger, suggested that local medical units of the National Guard to administer the vaccine in Sarasota County “instead of putting all the pressure on the” Department of Health.

He wrote, “Makes no sense at all. They need to do more than 400 a day or it will take a year to even make a dent in the 65 and over residents, visitors and seasonal people.”

Reader Brownie Egan wrote, “The current COVID (vaccine) distribution in Florida reflects our state's current administration by being a free-for-all with vulnerable citizens pitted against one another! Unreal!”

Another reader, Betty Porrazzo, called the distribution process “chaotic and irresponsible.”

DOH staff in Sarasota County has asked the public for patience as the vaccine rolls out to the public.

"Our goal is to get vaccines out to individuals as quickly as we can," Charles Henry, health officer, said during a Dec. 30 news conference. "We understand the frustration around the whole process."

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Around 37 percent of the county’s population is 65 and older, he added. With around 400 vaccination slots at a time, "they fill up in minutes. The demand is tremendous. We're asking the public to remain patient."

Residents can sign up for Sarasota County’s emergency alert system by texting "SRQCOVID19" to 888777. The county will send text alerts when vaccination registration is available.

Florida has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Report that will be updated daily at www.FloridaHealthCOVID19.gov. This report includes a breakdown of who has received the vaccine by age, race, sex and county.

For more information about coronavirus and its vaccinations in Sarasota County, visit www.SarasotaHealth.org.

Want to share your thoughts on Sarasota County's coronavirus vaccine distribution plan? Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com.