DOH Leon Provides Week 15 Updates on COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2, 2021

DOH Leon Provides Week 15 Updates on COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

The Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) in partnership with the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and multiple public and private sector partners, continues its mission to get all Leon County residents vaccinated quickly and fairly. All of this as we continue our collective efforts related to limiting the spread of the virus and protecting public health.

This week, actions to continue a proactive approach to vaccination efforts in Leon County include the following:

New development:  Beginning Monday, April 5, all individuals 16 years of age and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Read details from Executive Order 21-79 signed by Governor DeSantis here.

DOH Leon Vaccination Clinic Highlights:

• We have so far sponsored 27 vaccination clinics.
• We have successfully administered 21,665 vaccines through our health department to date.
• The Department’s vaccine team continues expanding operations to include eligible individuals who do not have scheduled appointments.
• We will administer the Pfizer vaccine to those 16 and older, starting on April 5.  A parent or guardian must be present when teens, 16 and 17 years of age are vaccinated. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for those 18 years of age and older.

DOH Leon vaccination clinics currently administer Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to those who are eligible.  A valid government-issued photo ID is required. The schedule is subject to change based on vaccine supply and inclement weather.

DOH Leon vaccination clinics currently administer Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to those who are eligible.  A valid government-issued photo ID is required. The schedule is subject to change based on vaccine supply and inclement weather. Vaccination clinics are held at:

DOH Leon Administration Building

2965 Municipal Way

Tallahassee, FL  32304

Since the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began in late December, Leon County has administered a total of 122,907 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 77,000 people have been vaccinated. 45,555 have received both Moderna or Pfizer vaccine doses or one Johnson & Johnson dose and are considered fully protected against COVID-19.

DOH Leon continues its partnership with the state’s Sharecare system that allows residents to preregister for appointments at https://myvaccine.fl.gov/#/ The website allows individuals who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to be proactively contacted when vaccine appointments are available. Those without access to a computer can call the toll-free line for Leon County at 866-200-3856 or for TTY (Text Telephone Relay) at 833-476-1455. For additional questions about the appointment system, Leon County residents can call 833-540-2054. Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Leon County Government has launched an online resource to help residents navigate the community’s different vaccine locations. The Leon County Vax Map is a one-stop resource offering a list of sites with sign-up instructions, a browsable map, and an address searchable database to find convenient locations. Vax Map also features COVID-19 testing locations, both permanent operations and pop-up events.

The Florida A&M University Al Lawson Center COVID-19 vaccination site extends its hours of operations. The 1800 Wahnish Way location is now open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week and will be open Easter Sunday.  The state-run site dispenses the Moderna vaccine. To register for the vaccine visit: https://commvax.patientportalfl.com. Walkups are also accepted.

A communitywide COVID-19 public education initiative is providing timely updates from trusted voices for the Big Bend area.  Safe and Healthy Big Bend combines the resources of local governments, local hospitals and health care providers, the Leon public school system, the faith community, business, and media partners to keep the public informed and provide up-to-date information on COVID-19.  Click here to visit the Safe and Healthy Big Bend website.  The multimedia platform includes PSAs, the latest information about vaccines, and direct messaging to the community from trusted voices including DOH Leon Health Officer Claudia Blackburn.

Community partners offer free rides to Leon County residents with appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  2-1-1 in partnership with The United Way, 2-1-1 Big Bend and Lyft is offering transportation to COVID-19 vaccination sites through the Lyft Ride United Program. The project provides safe and reliable door to door rides to COVID-19 vaccine appointments at walk-up COVID-19 vaccination sites to those who are eligible to receive the vaccine. Rides can be set up by calling (850) 617-6325 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Additionally, Tallahassee’s Elder Care Services continues helping residents 60 years of age and older get to community vaccination sites. They can call (850) 921-5554 to schedule transportation. Individuals do not have to be officially enrolled in the Elder Care Services Program to take advantage of this opportunity.

Leon County trendlines continue downward in the major COVID-19 metrics. Cases have decreased over the past two weeks. Our 7-day rolling average for new cases has averaged to about 31 per day for the past two weeks (3/17-3/30). The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is still down. Since last week’s update, four new deaths have been confirmed, bringing the total accumulated death county to 305 Leon County residents. Find more data on cases, testing, and fatalities specific to Leon County here.  Additionally since our last Community Partners Update, five new cases of the B117 variant have been identified in Leon County. Also, we have confirmed the first case with the COVID-19 variant B1429 that’s commonly referred to as the “California” variant. This brings the total of known variant cases in Leon County to 12.  The CDC is conducting studies to collect additional data on the COVID-19 vaccines’s strength against the variants and whether or not booster shots will be required. For now, data suggest that the COVID-19 vaccines currently in use will stand up against the new variants.

The Florida Department of Health issues a COVID-19 vaccine report that is updated daily.  This report includes information on the COVID-19 vaccine by county, race, sex, and age. The site also includes all available resources that we have on the state vaccination plan. Find the COVID-19 vaccine report here: https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/

For any additional questions about the vaccine at this time, the State COVID-19 Call Center can be reached by calling 1-866-779-6121 or emailing COVID-19@flhealth.gov  and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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 Submitted by:

Pamela Saulsby | Public Information Officer