Health officials urge seniors to show up for second-dose vaccine appointments
Briona Arradondo reports
TAMPA, Fla. - It’s time now for seniors who got their COVID-19 vaccine early last month to line up for their second shot, and thousands of doses made it into arms over the weekend in Tampa Bay.
More seniors in Hillsborough County are fully protected against COVID-19. Emergency management coordinator Jay Rajyaguru with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue shared Monday how they finished the first week of second doses. We had the vast majority of our residents who showed up for the first dose come back for their second dose. We did about 8,500 second doses last week, said Rajyaguru. I know in other parts of the state and the country we’ve seen some numbers of people not showing up. In Hillsborough County, we’ve seen the vast majority of people showing up for their second dose, and so we want to continue that as much as we can.
DeSantis says Florida can vaccinate more, but supply drying up
His remarks Friday signaled a shift in messaging where he now acknowledges that Floridaâs infrastructure is dependent on a supply chain he does not control.
Â
Â
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis talks about the COVID-19 vaccines during a press conference at Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo, Florida, on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. [ DANIEL A. VARELA | Miami Herald ]
By David Goodhue
Published Jan. 22
KEY LARGO â Gov. Ron DeSantis said the pace in which people are being vaccinated in Florida is faster than the supply of the doses coming into the state.
His remarks Friday signaled a shift in message for the governor from touting the stateâs ability to rapidly vaccinate a large number of residents to acknowledging that Floridaâs infrastructure is dependent on a supply chain he does not control.
Florida bill would make vaccine scams a third-degree felony in the state
There have been several reports of scammers targeting seniors, offering to schedule them for a vaccine but requiring personal information and a fee. Now, state lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill to make these kinds of scams a third-degree felony.
By: WFTS Staff
and last updated 2021-01-14 17:28:46-05
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. â Meg Bourbonniere is a recently retired nurse who specialized in geriatric patients. Itâs why she is very protective of older adults who are at risk for many types of abuse.
âFinancial, emotional, physical, so people are always looking to take advantage of vulnerable people,â she said.
There have been several reports of scammers targeting seniors, offering to schedule them for a vaccine but requiring personal information and a fee. Now, state lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill to make these kinds of scams a third-degree felony.
First round of Florida healthcare workers gets second vaccine dose
Evan Axelbank reports
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Pediatrician Julie Johnson is one of the few and proud 1,997 Floridians to be considered immune to COVID-19 thanks to receiving a second dose of vaccine. Few and proud, but not necessarily care-free. I don t think there is much of a mental change, Dr. Johnson said. When I was at work today, I still practiced the same exact precautions, I was still double-masked, I was still being very very careful.
That s how it s intended to work for the public, as well.
Publix to suppliment vaccine supply in Citrus, Hernando counties