The Florida Department of Health in Leon County Recognizes One Year of COVID-19 Vaccines in Leon County 

 TALLAHASSEE, FL – One year ago this month, the first COVID-19 vaccine shipment arrived in Leon County.  In late December, the Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) began sponsoring COVID-19 vaccine clinics. Since December 2020, our immunizations team has directly administered 30,893 doses.  Countywide, more than 169,000 doses of vaccine have been successfully administered. Additionally, nearly 60 % of eligible people (age five and older) in Leon County have received at least one dose of vaccine.

DOH Leon recognizes that these remarkable milestones could not have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of health care workers, public health providers, first responders, community members, and countless others who have protected our communities by giving out life-saving vaccines.

“It is amazing to see how far we have come in just one year,” said Claudia Blackburn, DOH Leon Health Officer. “From mass vaccination sites, to public-private partnerships, mobile vaccination, neighborhood pop-up events and more, it is clear this response has taken an immense amount of ingenuity and hard work.

With the holidays approaching and people gathering, it is critical and urgent to act now to protect yourselves and your family and friends. Vaccinating and boosting against COVID-19 remain the most effective ways for people to protect themselves from serious illness, hospitalization, and death.

Vaccine eligibility is now expanded to include children as young as five. “Seeing children as young as 5 get their COVID-19 vaccines is another great illustration of the progress that has happened over the past year,” said Blackburn. “As we head into 2022, I want to encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our community as a whole.”

Booster doses are now recommended for everyone 16 and older six months after completing an mRNA vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or two months after receiving the single shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/ to learn more about COVID-19 in Florida including monoclonal antibody therapy treatment sites. If you have questions specific to Leon County, please call our DOH Leon COVID-19 Call Center at 850-404-6300, then press 2 or talk with your trusted health care provider. Our helpline is staffed Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

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