Second day of the Orlando FEMA vaccine website, higher turnout

ORLANDO, Fla. – The second day of the FEMA mass vaccination site in Orlando began with greater participation after the site did not reach its 2,000-dose capacity on Wednesday.

Hundreds lined up on Thursday at the West Campus of Valencia College.

“We had a significant increase over what we had yesterday,” said Lt. Col. Troy Fisher during a news conference on Thursday afternoon. “We are now operating exactly as we would expect to be operating all the time.”

Fisher said the site was generating an average of 250 rounds per hour.

FEMA officials said more than 2,000 doses were administered on Thursday.

The website used remaining doses from Wednesday and also vaccines from Tuesday’s test.

The site almost reached 90% of capacity on the first day, according to the authorities, blaming the less than expected participation in the rainy weather on Wednesday morning and the fact that it was the first day.

Authorities said they were making adjustments on Thursday to improve the experience for those who have to wait a little while at the site to be vaccinated.

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“The tents are being erected, we are changing the line to ensure that people are not in traffic or that traffic can still flow. So, day by day, we are making improvements to this site to make sure that we can take care of the Orlando population, ”said Fisher.

The site will operate from 7 am to 7 pm every day and should remain open for at least eight weeks, according to the Orlando Police Department.

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To encourage greater attendance, organizers said they are working to spread the word that there is no need to make an appointment at the venue.

Those who are eligible to receive the vaccine can pre-register by clicking or tapping here, however, guided tours are also accepted.

On Thursday, an executive order from Governor Ron DeSantis declared that persons eligible for the vaccine include anyone aged 65 or over, police officers aged 50 or over, firefighters aged 50 or over, staff at the K-12 school with 50 years or older, healthcare professionals and extremely vulnerable people with a form signed by a doctor.

However, the federally operated site expanded its eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday to include elementary and high school teachers, daycare workers and other school officials after a call from President Joe Biden for these workers to go. vaccinated by the end of the month. Publix, CVS and Walmart have also expanded their eligibility requirements to offer pictures to these workers.

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[READ: Here’s where Florida teachers, school staff and child care workers can get the COVID-19 vaccine]

Yukeeba Mays, a 49-year-old teacher at West Orange High School, managed to get her photo on Thursday after the site started offering photos to those who met the expanded criteria, just a day after she was initially rejected at the same location for not meeting the state’s age requirement.

She said she was thrilled after hearing the news that she was now eligible and ran to get the vaccine as soon as she could.

“I was ecstatic because we should have priority (on) day 1. I mean, I heard about other states opening schools, but we have been open since August, giving face-to-face classes since August and I am immunocompromised, too, so, going to the classroom every day, I’m praying to be safe, ”said Mays.

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Katherine Hammond is a 37-year-old teacher who recently extended her maternity leave because she feared going back to school and potentially bringing the virus home. She said that now that teachers of any age can get the vaccine, she will feel safer to get back to work.

“I miss my kids a lot, I miss the people I work with and it makes me feel so much better to be back and to be able to end the year with strength,” she said.

Shelia Jones is an elementary school and high school employee in her 50s who also waited for her photo at the FEMA site on Thursday. She said she was ecstatic because the vaccine is now available to educators.

“I think it is important. (Teachers) are close to children. They need to be vaccinated because they are at risk, ”said Jones.

She said the lines were too long on Thursday, but everything went well.

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