- May 4, 2024
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Flagler County teachers 50 and older will be vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the Flagler County fairgrounds starting Saturday, March 13. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single shot vaccine, while the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines both require two shots — an initial shot and a booster.
The Florida Department of Health has postponed a second vaccination event for teachers and staff ages 50 and up that was originally planned for Saturday, March 20. The new date has not yet been determined. In the meantime, teachers can go to CVS, Publix or any chain in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
The health department is also starting to fan out and offer vaccines at secondary community locations, Florida Department of Health-Flagler Public Information Officer Gretchen Smith said on Flagler Broadcasting's "Free For All Friday" radio program March 12 — for instance, Calvary Baptist and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton will be vaccination sites in the coming week, and the health department also hopes to distributes vaccines to local pharmacies.
Next week, Smith noted, the age range for vaccination drops to 60. People under the age range (this week, 65; next week, 60) that are deemed medically vulnerable by a doctor will also also eligible. The required form can be printed HERE.
The health department has administered 2,400 vaccines this week, and administered 2,600 the week before.
Florida Department of Health-Flagler Medical Director Dr. Stephen Bickel said the pandemic response has entered a new phase.
"Phase one was lots of demand and very little supply, and now we’re entering phase two, which is still lots of demand, and lots of supply," Bickel said.
He noted that evidence is growing that COVID-19 vaccines prevent people from passing COVID-19 to others, as well as preventing people from getting it themselves.
"We need to control this thing so that we can get back to our normal lives,"Bickel said.
He added that the county has a goal of immunizing a least 80% of its population so that residents are protected by strong herd immunity.
UPDATE: This story has been updated to note that the vaccination event initially planned for March 20 has been postposed.
