Due to the first-come, first-served plan, huge lines were formed overnight on Tuesday as people were grabbing linen chairs and waiting for hours.
Bruce Scott told CNN he reached a foot. Myers was vaccinated at 1:30 a.m. and waited in line for vaccinations for about 8 or 9 hours.
“Still, I’m grateful to get the vaccine, but I think this would be a better way to share.” “For people who really need it, the elderly who may be disabled in some way, they can’t tolerate this process, so this could be a good way to manage it.”
The long wait is a preview of what appears to be a vague vaccine rollout and reflects people’s paint-up demand for the vaccine as well as the rational difficulty in administering it systematically.
Florida is one of the few states that has begun vaccinating people beyond the first wave of health care workers and long-term care facilities. More than 150,000 vaccines have been administered in the state so far, more than all except Texas, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
There is a huge demand for vaccines in the counties
Other Florida counties have tried to arrange vaccination appointments for those who sign up via signline or hotline.
Frank Lundell, 70, and her husband, YY, were among the successful sign-ups and were vaccinated after waiting in their car at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on Tuesday.
They said they went to the county website as soon as the visitor list was made public. Frank quickly got an appointment, but Andy made four or five attempts to get the slot.
“We feel like we’re lucky,” Frank Lundell said. “We thought maybe March or April we could get it, but it’s wonderful to get it, definitely.”
Jim Seltzer, who was also vaccinated Wednesday, praised the job the county has done.
“I thought they were very streamlined. I thought they did an excellent job.” “I mean it was a long wait, but you know, I expected that.”
“We are working on expanding our infrastructure to meet the high demand we are experiencing,” the site said.
And in South Florida, Broward Health said all of its appointments are booked by February.
Mount Sinai Hospital on Miami Beach says they have actively approached seniors in their community to sign up for the vaccine. They have enabled more appointment phone lines in an effort to prevent seniors from getting vaccinated easily.
“And so much faster that we are able to get vaccinated in the 65 plus older population, I believe that life will become normal. And I believe that young people will also become more receptive to getting vaccinated.” President and CEO of Mount Sinai Miami Beach Steve Sonnerich.
Focus on the elderly rather than the required workers
The CDC’s advisory committee recommended that first frontline health care workers and people in long-term care facilities be vaccinated, and Florida complied.
The CDC committee then recommended that the states implement “Phase 1B.” Vaccination of first responders over 75 years of age and “frontline essential workers”. Then, in “Phase 1C,” states should vaccinate 65-75 year olds, 16-64 year olds with high-risk medical conditions, and “other essential workers,” the committee recommended.
However, Disantis said the state is giving priority to everyone over the age of 65, followed by young essential workers.
“If you’re a 22-year-old working in a food service, let’s say at a supermarket, you have a choice of a 74-year-old grandmother.” “I don’t think that’s the direction we want to go.”
CNN’s Rosa Flores, Sara Weisfeld and Dennis Royal contributed to this report.
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