:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/01-12-2021/t_228a8a3bd74441c7b36085195d6fc942_name_image.jpg "Seniors reject city insistence, queue for COVID-19 vaccines early")
JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – Although the city of Jacksonville urges people not to queue before 10 am on Tuesday, hundreds of people have waited hours outside the Mandarin and Lane Wiley Senior Citizens Centers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine is available on Tuesday for seniors, health professionals and first responders with birthdays in March or April.
Both on Monday and Tuesday, hopeful seniors started lining up before dawn at senior centers, which are vaccinating Duval County residents aged 65 and over and frontline health professionals, not by appointment, but based on the month of birth.
At dawn on Tuesday, the line wound through the property with dozens of people spaced 2 meters away, wearing masks.
“We expected there to be a long line, so we wanted to be the first in line to receive the vaccination,” said Arthur Llaga, a caregiver.
“With all my medical problems, I would be dead if I had, my husband would be too,” said Terry Hill.
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Hours before the doors opened, Ray Gardner, 78, also arrived with his garden chair.
“I plan on walking a few more kilometers on foot, so this is a good way to do it and it’s easy, it’s great, you can go out and walk early in the morning,” said Gardner.
On Monday, people started lining up at Lane Wiley Senior Center at Westside and Mandarin Senior Center at 5 am. The scene was similar on Tuesday, when the elderly ignored the city’s request not to show up before the central parking lot opened at 10 am. and were allowed to get in line earlier.
The city said Monday that they are learning as they go. They said that as of Tuesday, they would not allow anyone to queue before 10 am – an hour before the doors opened.
It just wasn’t how things started.
“Unlike many other cities, we will not be draconian. I will not allow police officers to physically remove people or reject elderly people, ”Mayor Lenny Curry told The Morning Show on Tuesday. “The rule is not to line up before 10 am. It is not necessary. However, those who are there and doing it, are doing it safely. I understand that people are concerned that they will not make it, but again, we met all the demand yesterday and we will continue to work with people. “
At one point, people were given a ticket and said they could return at the end of the day, when the queue narrowed.
“They made it a lot easier by doing it this way and stuff, so it’s good for everyone,” said Pat Brennan.
The city said there are nearly 1,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine available every day between the two sites, while its efforts continue to vaccinate the most vulnerable.
Curry pointed out that the supply is made by the federal government to the state and then from the state to the city. He said the first dose distribution was about 10,000 doses, and when all those doses are gone, the city will have to wait for more supplies before delivering more vaccines.
“We asked the state to allow us to make distributions because we demonstrated the ability to distribute things to people during COVID-19 in a safe, efficient and responsible manner,” said Curry.
Although vaccinations are given on a first come, first served basis (no appointment required), eligible residents should only visit a vaccination site on the day associated with the month of birth based on the following calendar:
- Monday – January and February
- Tuesday – March and April
- Wednesday – May and June
- Thursday – July and August
- Friday – September and October
- Saturday – November and December
These two vaccination posts will be open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm from Monday to Saturday, although the queue will be cut off at 6:00 pm or when the day’s allocation is exhausted:
- Mandarin Senior Center, 3848 Hartley Road
- Lane Wiley Senior Center, 6710 Wiley Road
All patients must provide a photo ID showing their date of birth and proof of residence in Duval County. Rescuers and health professionals must also bring a work badge.
Bathrooms inside the elderly centers will be available after the building opens for the day.
After receiving the vaccine, patients must remain in place for at least 15 minutes to be monitored by health and emergency professionals for possible reactions. Based on medical history, some individuals may have to wait 30 minutes. Although allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine are rare, the city said, this safety measure was taken as a precaution. Patients can choose to receive reminders by email and text about the second dose.
To assist in a safe and organized vaccination process, patients must follow the following guidelines:
- Masks must be worn at all times.
- The physical distance requirements must be followed at all times.
- People who are feeling ill should not go to the vaccination site.
- Only caregivers can accompany patients who need assistance to the vaccination site.
- Patients must park in designated parking areas; patients cannot be abandoned.
- You will not be allowed to park and wait in line at night.
- Patients should follow traffic patterns and instructions from traffic monitors (is a map available at JaxReady.com/Virus?).
Patients must print and bring a DOH Vaccine Consent Screening Form completed at the vaccination site. The form is available at COJ.net/CovidVaccineForm.
Between the two sites, the city expects to vaccinate just under 1,000 people a day with the Pfizer vaccine – Mandarin will provide 500 vaccines a day, while up to 475 vaccines will be distributed in Lane Wiley, according to the city. When the daily supply runs out, the remaining patients will have the option of returning on the designated day the following week or making an appointment with the Florida Department of Health for Prime Osborn.
Vaccines are still being given by appointment at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, but demand for appointments has exceeded supply – which is likely to continue in the near future. In response, the city announced last week that it was converting elderly centers in Mandarin and the Westside from COVID-19 test sites to sites for receiving the vaccine.
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