LAKELAND A Lakeland health care provider has launched a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list for its patients, but needs more supplies to move forward.
Watson Clinic announced its own online vaccine registration portal via Facebook and social media on Wednesday. It is inviting the clinic s senior patients, age 65 and older, to receive a shot when supplies become available. It s a preregistration form, so we are fully prepared when the time comes, said Jenny Baker, spokeswoman for Watson Clinic.
Seniors can go online to www.watsonclinic.com/forms/covid-19-pre-registration-process.html to register. Individuals are asked to provide their mailing address, email address, phone number and date of birth.
LAKELAND Lakeland s health care providers say the city is squarely within COVID-19 s cone of uncertainty as virus rapidly spreads, pushing hospitals and clinics to their limits.
Dr. Joy Jackson, director of Florida Department of Health in Polk, told Lakeland commissioners there s been a significant increase in emergency room and urgent care visits because of the virus. Across the county, Jackson said there are three times more people hospitalized because of COVID now than in early December. We are in a potentially dangerous situation if we don t take action to increase awareness about the risk, said Danielle Drummond, CEO and president of Lakeland Regional Health.
At Lakeland Regional Health, there are 41 COVID-19 patients on a ventilator and 75 in the ICU. It’s the most COVID hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic.
New Lakeland clinic targets lingering COVID symptoms
Ken Suarez reports
LAKELAND, Fla. - Lakeland now has a new clinic for people with ongoing problems after getting COVID-19.
Estimates range wildly how many people that might entail. Some experts say one out of 10 former COVID patients has persistent problems. Others say it may be one out of four, or more.
Whatever the statistics, Charles Harkala is among them. Weeks after officially being over the virus, the 70-year-old still could not think straight, and his memory was failing. That was the most devastating part. Was I ever going to be me again? he told FOX 13.
As a result of rapidly rising number of cases, Lakeland commissioners are crafting a strongly worded resolution urging people to wear a mask, and take precautions against the virus. They plan to vote on it next Tuesday.