PINELLAS PARK â Amid concern that the areaâs seniors are lagging the statewide average in getting vaccinated against the coronavirus, Pinellas County is receiving 8,000 more doses of vaccine in the next week.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the local push at a Thursday news conference at Mainlands of Tamarac by the Gulf, a 55-and-older community of nearly 400 homes in Pinellas Park. The governor said Florida has vaccinated about 42% of those 65 and older, but only 35% in Pinellas have received shots.
âSo we said some of those areas that have a lot of seniors that are below the state average, we want to surge more doses there,â DeSantis said outside the Mainlands community clubhouse. âThis is part of that effort to up the doses in Pinellas County.â
Pinellas County residents have expressed frustration with the way they have been forced to sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations over the past few weeks. But things should be better in the future.
That was one of the messages shared during a Facebook Live event Friday afternoon attended by Pinellas County Commission Chair Dave Eggers, County Administrator Barry Burton and Department of Health Pinellas Director Dr. Ulyee Choe.
Since the state began allocating small amounts of vaccine to DOH Pinellas for distribution to eligible residents, complaints have come in about the sign up process to get an appointment. It was based on a process where DOH announced a time that everyone could try to get on a website or call a phone number in hopes of getting in and booking one of about 10,000 appointments.