FEMA’s new mass vaccination site in Orlando opens on Wednesday at Valencia College’s west campus. According to the federal agency in charge of the new site, appointments are not required and walk-ups are encouraged in an effort to “increase COVID-19 vaccine access to underserved populations.”FEMA spokesperson Crystal Paulk-Buchanan said: “If an individual arrives to the site and all time slots are filled for that day, site staff will work with them to schedule an appointment at the site to receive a vaccine. Individuals can also schedule appointments on-site in a separate registration lane if they do not want to wait for walk-up availability.”The site is not a drive through, instead people will park their cars and enter tents. Inside they will have their temperature checked, get the vaccine and then wait 15 minutes to make sure they don’t have a reaction. Site officials say they expect to do a total of 3,000 vaccinations a day. In additional to the main site, two temporary mobile sites will also be set up. The first at the Englewood Neighborhood Center will be open this Wednesday through Saturday. The second at Kelly Park in Apopka will run from March 7 through the 10.The state is working to update myvaccine.fl.gov so all eligible groups can preregister, adding the website should be ready by Wednesday. They are asking people in newly approved groups like police and teachers bring proof of employment to site to get vaccine.On Tuesday, soldiers with the U.S. Army spent the day training by vaccinating about 140 law enforcement officers. “They’re super excited to be here,” Lt. Col. Troy Fisher said about his soldiers. Fisher is the Department of Defense commander in charge of the new site. About 100 of his soldiers traveled from the Tennessee-Kentucky state line to help give people COVID-19 vaccines in Orange County. “Majority of my personal time has been in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Fisher. “I am just as excited to do this as anything else I’ve done for the military because this is taking care of the U.S. population and we should all be proud of that.”The servicemembers’ goal on Tuesday was to test the workflow at the FEMA site before Wednesday’s opening to the public. One of the first to get a shot as part of training was Orlando police Chief Orlando Rolon and about 140 other law enforcement officers. “These officers have been risking their lives all year long during this COVID pandemic to make sure that our citizens are kept safe,” said Rolon. The police chief talked about what he was thinking about when he was in the chair. “When we saw that 500,000 Americans had lost their lives due to COVID, that to me was the one moment that convinced me 100% that this is a must, that this is something we must do,” he said. Chief Rolon said last year, the nation lost more officers to COVID-19 than in the line of duty. Out of the Orlando Police Department’s over 800 officers, he said over 100 have tested positive for the coronavirus throughout the pandemic. So with about half of his officers saying they want to get a shot, he hopes to set an example. “I took part to show, ‘Hey, this is something that I buy into, this is something that we should all consider,’ and I highly recommend it,” he said. On Tuesday, first responders thanked the Armed Forces for helping in their shared mission to protect the public.“I want to give kudos to our Armed Services, our Armed Forces for their role in making this possible. There is a small army in their taking care of us as we’re getting the vaccine,” Rolon said.People can preregister by visiting myvaccine.fl.gov or calling their county’s designated phone number.
FEMA’s new mass vaccination site in Orlando opens on Wednesday at Valencia College’s west campus. According to the federal agency in charge of the new site, appointments are not required and walk-ups are encouraged in an effort to “increase COVID-19 vaccine access to underserved populations.”
FEMA spokesperson Crystal Paulk-Buchanan said: “If an individual arrives to the site and all time slots are filled for that day, site staff will work with them to schedule an appointment at the site to receive a vaccine. Individuals can also schedule appointments on-site in a separate registration lane if they do not want to wait for walk-up availability.”
The site is not a drive through, instead people will park their cars and enter tents. Inside they will have their temperature checked, get the vaccine and then wait 15 minutes to make sure they don’t have a reaction.
Site officials say they expect to do a total of 3,000 vaccinations a day. In additional to the main site, two temporary mobile sites will also be set up. The first at the Englewood Neighborhood Center will be open this Wednesday through Saturday. The second at Kelly Park in Apopka will run from March 7 through the 10.
The state is working to update myvaccine.fl.gov so all eligible groups can preregister, adding the website should be ready by Wednesday. They are asking people in newly approved groups like police and teachers bring proof of employment to site to get vaccine.
On Tuesday, soldiers with the U.S. Army spent the day training by vaccinating about 140 law enforcement officers.
“They’re super excited to be here,” Lt. Col. Troy Fisher said about his soldiers.
Fisher is the Department of Defense commander in charge of the new site. About 100 of his soldiers traveled from the Tennessee-Kentucky state line to help give people COVID-19 vaccines in Orange County.
“Majority of my personal time has been in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Fisher. “I am just as excited to do this as anything else I’ve done for the military because this is taking care of the U.S. population and we should all be proud of that.”
The servicemembers’ goal on Tuesday was to test the workflow at the FEMA site before Wednesday’s opening to the public. One of the first to get a shot as part of training was Orlando police Chief Orlando Rolon and about 140 other law enforcement officers.
“These officers have been risking their lives all year long during this COVID pandemic to make sure that our citizens are kept safe,” said Rolon.
The police chief talked about what he was thinking about when he was in the chair.
“When we saw that 500,000 Americans had lost their lives due to COVID, that to me was the one moment that convinced me 100% that this is a must, that this is something we must do,” he said.
Chief Rolon said last year, the nation lost more officers to COVID-19 than in the line of duty. Out of the Orlando Police Department’s over 800 officers, he said over 100 have tested positive for the coronavirus throughout the pandemic. So with about half of his officers saying they want to get a shot, he hopes to set an example.
“I took part to show, ‘Hey, this is something that I buy into, this is something that we should all consider,’ and I highly recommend it,” he said.
On Tuesday, first responders thanked the Armed Forces for helping in their shared mission to protect the public.
“I want to give kudos to our Armed Services, our Armed Forces for their role in making this possible. There is a small army in their taking care of us as we’re getting the vaccine,” Rolon said.
People can preregister by visiting myvaccine.fl.gov or calling their county’s designated phone number.