Selected Publix drugstore locations will offer coronavirus vaccines in Florida

OCALA, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis revealed that some Publix supermarket pharmacies will offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible groups during an impromptu news conference on Tuesday.

DeSantis announced changes to the state’s vaccine distribution plan on Monday, saying hospitals should use their vaccines as soon as possible and partnering with worship centers to help distribute the vaccine. The governor did not mention Publix during two press conferences on Monday, but on Tuesday, DeSantis made the announcement for a Publix supermarket in Ocala.

According to Publix.com, a limited number of vaccines are “on their way to select Publix pharmacies in Citrus, Hernando and Marion counties”.

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Vaccines will be available by appointment while supplies last, according to the supermarket.

According to the website, 11 Marion County locations, eight Hernando County stores and three Citrus County locations will offer the injections.

Publix vice president of pharmacy Dain Rusk said that each store will vaccinate about 120 people a day. People can start making appointments on Thursday, January 7th. The supermarket chain later announced that the doses will start on the same day.

“Tomorrow morning, when customers wake up, they can go online and start scheduling appointments,” said Maria Brous, Director of Communications at Publix. “They will be scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday in 5-minute increments. Thus, customers will have a selection starting at 9:30 am, they can select service hours every 5 minutes and we will do this for the first three days. “

More updates on availability and scheduling registration system can be found at publix.com/COVIDvaccine. The link to reserve a spot will be live on Thursday morning, according to Brous.

“All the teams are on standby. We have many people, we have additional help. Everyone is committed to making this process as smooth as possible, ”said Brous. “It is technology. There are things we are trying to include to prevent any opportunity from happening, but, just like anything else, we have teams on standby to help and perform to the best of our ability.

All vaccinations are free, but customers must bring proof of insurance, if they have one, and photo ID.

“We want to prevent a crowd of people from simply showing up and waiting in line all day, so go to the website and make an appointment,” said DeSantis.

DeSantis said that if the pilot program goes well, Publix can offer vaccines in more of its locations around the state. Publix operates 756 pharmacies across Florida.

“We selected these three municipalities and these 22 pharmacies, but I made it clear to Publix that if we can do this, if it is efficient, if people give a good answer, you know, my goal would be to work with them and all of their pharmacies” said DeSantis.

The governor said he asked Publix to help with the vaccination effort and the company “accelerated” without hesitation.

“It is our privilege to work with Governor DeSantis as a distributor of this important vaccine. We are grateful to help protect the health and well-being of people at risk of serious coronavirus complications, ”said Rusk in a statement. “We are looking forward to a time when everyone who wants a vaccine can get it.”

The supermarket chain is also working with six other states where it operates to supply vaccines. The Florida-based network also operates in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

As of Tuesday, Florida was vaccinating only three priority groups: Health care workers, employees of long-term care facilities and residents and people aged 65 and over. The healthcare group includes paramedics, paramedics and non-hospital health professionals, as well as Department of Health staff.

All Florida vaccine sites are open to anyone in the priority groups, regardless of state or county residence. Residents will need to return to receive their second injection 21 or 28 days after the first dose, depending on the vaccine they receive, Moderna or Pfizer.

Publix locations in Marion County will offer an alternative in Central Florida after the county Department of Health received more than 50,000 vaccine nomination requests this week for its first doses for the elderly.

The county health department opened reservations on December 28, but after receiving more than 50,000 requests, it closed its application portal.

“We are limiting the number of people included in this first round of applications to allow the team to review the current list of registrants and vaccinate them fully,” said Marion County Health Department administrator Mark Lander. “We will reopen registrations as soon as the first group of 50,000 registrants completes their vaccinations.”

The DOH team is working to call everyone who requests an appointment, which can take weeks.

Ocala’s mayor Kent Guinn said he is grateful that his city was included in the initial launch.

“I’m glad he chose Ocala to do this, so my hats for the governor,” said Guinn.

Guinn also said that the elderly in Ocala have asked him when they can get the vaccine.

“I am 66 years old. People call me and ask: when can I get my chance? You know, and they would ask, is Publix doing this? “

Below is a complete list of stores offering vaccines by appointment starting January 8.

Store name	Address	City
Crystal Springs Shopping Center	6760 W. Gulf to Lake Highway	Crystal River, Florida.
Shoppes of Sugarmills	9525 S. Suncoast Blvd.	Homosassa, Florida.
Publix Plaza Inverness	1012 W. Main Street	Inverness, Florida.
Brooksville Square	19390 Cortez Blvd.	Brooksville, Florida.
Shoppes of Citrus Hills	2685 N. Forest Ridge Blvd.	Hernando, Florida.
Shoppes in Avalon	13455 County Line Road	Spring Hill, Florida.
Publix in Seven Hills	160 Mariner Blvd.	Spring Hill, Florida.
Lakewood Plaza	4365 Commercial Way	Spring Hill, Florida.
Publix at Barclay	14371 Spring Hill Drive	Spring Hill, Florida.
Mariner Commons	4158 Mariner Blvd.	Spring Hill, Florida.
The Shoppes in Glen Lakes	9595 Commercial Way	Weeki Wachee, Florida.
Belleview Commons	10135 SE US Hwy. 441	Belleview, Florida.
Rainbow Square Shopping Center	11352 N. Williams Street, Suite 400	Dunnellon, Florida.
Forty East Shopping Center	3450 E. Silver Springs Blvd.	Ocala, Florida.
Canopy Oak Center	8075 SW Highway 200, Unit 111Ocala, Florida.	Ocala, Florida.
Park View Commons	3035 SE Maricamp RoadOcala, Florida.	Ocala, Florida.
The Shops at Foxwood	2765 NW 49th Avenue, Suite 301	Ocala, Florida.
Grand Oaks Town Center	2575 SW 42nd Street, Suite 100	Ocala, Florida.
Pearl Britain Plaza	2647 NE 35th StreetOcala, Florida.	Ocala, Florida.
Churchill Square	303 SE 17th StreetOcala, Fla.	Ocala, Florida.
Heather Island Plaza	7578 SE Maricamp Road, Suite 100	Ocala, Florida.
Heath Brook Commons	5400 SW College Road, Suite 200	Ocala, Florida.