State-Run Vaccination Site Opens At University Square Mall

Correction: The state has contracted with vendor Sharecare to handle appointments for residents to get vaccinated.

TAMPA, FL — In a few weeks, the state will take over the coronavirus vaccination registration system for Florida counties, streamlining the process and hopefully relieving the frustration residents age 65 and older have experienced for the last three weeks as they've tried and failed to make appointments.

Hillsborough County Department of Emergency Management Director Tim Dudley told Hillsborough County commissioners Thursday plans to set up vaccination sites similar to the state-run coronavirus testing sites.

The state kicked off Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's "Seniors First" pilot program Thursday, opening three state-run vaccination sites including one at the University Square Mall, 2200 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa. The other two sites are in Miami and Jacksonville.

The state-run vaccination sites will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be manned by contracted nurses and members of the Florida National Guard.

The residents who were vaccinated Thursday at University Square Mall were selected from a list of Hillsborough County residents who have already set up accounts and registered through the Hillsborough County Department of Health registration site. About 34,000 people have successfully signed up to receive vaccines through the county's registration site.

As the county transitions to the state-run registration system, Hillsborough residents who have created accounts will have their information transferred to the state system is being managed by Sharecare. The previous registration system was handled by CDR Maguire Health and Medical management systems, but there is no need for residents to sign up again. All the information provided to CDR Maguire will be give to Sharecare.

On Thursday, the University Square Mall site administered 1,600 doses of the Pfizer vaccine free of charge. Dudley expects a similar amount of vaccine to be available every day.

To make an appointment for the state site, call 1-866-200-3896.

The state has about 5,000 people on hand to handle calls for appointments. In a few weeks, Sharecare will also have an online portal where residents can register. No walk-ups will be accepted.

After receiving their first vaccinations, residents will be contacted by Sharecare to arrange a time to receive their second dose, about three weeks after the first dose. Residents who have already received their first dose Jan. 6-9 or Jan. 13-15 and haven't yet received an appointment for a second dose will be contacted by Share care to set up an appointment at their original vaccination site — the Ed Radice Sports Complex, Strawberry Festival grounds or Vance Vogel Sports Complex.

For more information, visit the county's vaccine website and click on the “I Have an Appointment, Now What?” button.

In the coming weeks, the state will open more state-run sites as well as smaller clinics at churches in underserved communities, county health departments, University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital clinics, the Judeo-Christian Health Center and clinic organized by the Florida Physicians Alliance, Hillsborough County Medical Association and Infectious Disease Associates of Tampa Bay.

The DOH-Hillsborough hosted its first clinic at a Tampa church two weeks ago and plans to vaccinate 600 more people at 13 churches this Sunday.

There will be plenty of other places where residents can receive vaccinations.

Through a contract with the federal government, CVS and Walgreens plan to open clinics beginning Jan. 31. And, in partnership with the state, Publix Supermarkets plan to open more clinics. Currently, Publix operates clinics in a few North Florida counties.

The county has also begun vaccinating residents at its 350 housing complexes for senior citizens. To date, 218 have received vaccines and residents of three more housing complexes will be vaccinated this week.

Additionally, vaccines will be distributed to doctors, dentists, podiatrists, home health-care companies, pharmacies and other health-care providers who are willing to administer vaccines. Dudley said there are 70,000 licensed health professionals in Hillsborough County who are eligible to administer vaccines.

Those under age 65 who have a chronic illness and especially vulnerable to the coronavirus should contact the hospital they normally use or the nearest hospital to determine their eligibility to be vaccinated by the hospital.

With the state's help, it will take about three months to vaccinate all 200,000 Hillsborough County residents age 65 and older. To date, about 11 percent (34,353 seniors) have received at least a first vaccination.

When the vaccine became available, DeSantis's first priority was nursing home residents and staff. The county has now vaccinated staff and residents at 31 skilled nursing facilities and 265 aggregate living facilities.

The county's hospitals operated by Baycare Health Systems, AdventHealth, Tampa General Hospital and HCA Health along with the Tampa Family Health Center and Suncoast Community Health Centers have also received allotments of vaccine and are in the process of vaccinating their eligible patients.

County Commissioner Mariella Smith said having the state take over the vaccination program will relieve the county, which has shifted employees from their usual duties to help check people in and direct traffic at vaccination clinics.

"This county has put all hands on deck to administer these vaccinations," Smith said.

"We have weathered that storm," agreed Hillsborough County Assistant County Administrator Greg Horwedel. "The state is trying to put in a system to accommodate all those wanting the vaccine. Our hope is it’s as seamless as possible."

In December, the federal Food and Drug Administration approved the use of vaccines produced by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna.

Both vaccines take twice as long to administer than a flu shot, said Howrwedel.

He said the Pfizer vaccine is especially troublesome. It must be stored at temperatures of about 6 degrees Fahrenheit and then thawed before it can be used. Once thawed, it has a limited shelf life — about five days.

However, the FDA is in the process of approving vaccines produced by Johnson & Johnson and Astrazeneca, which are easier to store, easier to administer and have a longer shelf life.

The number of people demanding the vaccine will be somewhat reduced after Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees issued a public health advisory Thursday. The advisory gives Florida residents priority for vaccines.

DeSantis's executive order issued in November allowed anyone age 65 and up to receive the vaccine. That resulted in an angry backlash from senior citizens in the state, many lifelong residents, who weren't able to book vaccination appointments because they were being snapped up by visitors from Canada and northern states.

The advisory gives priority to those who meet state residency requirements including owning a home in Florida or having a Florida driver's license. See the Florida Residency Requirement Guide.

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