Vaccine Good News
 

For all of my Florida friends that are complaining about how bad things are here with regard to getting the Covid vaccine, did you know that Florida is number on in the nation for shots in the arm per capita? I know that many are frustrated but you have to realize that only a certain amount of doses are sent to the state with each delivery. Depending on how many are sent, 6 to 10 times as many people are applying for them. As more and more people get vaccinated, the odds will improve. The logistical difficulty related to these vaccines are unprecedented. The last time something like this was tried was the Salk polio vaccine and that was distributed through the school system. It was easy as it didn't require storage and transportation at sub freezing temperature and the kids were all in school. This vaccine presents many more difficult challenges. As of now, about 40% of Florida residents over the age of 65 have been vaccinated. I'd say that pretty good for the first six weeks or so. By using retail establishments, super markets, pharmacies and the distribution system here is far better than any other state. So as bad as you think things might be here, be thankful that you don't live in places like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts or California where their system is truly screwed up. Florida is doing a great job with this vaccine.

It’s good to get perspective on this. We got our second Moderna shot last Wednesday and consider us lucky. Our granddaughter is getting married in March, and I wanted to attend. Now I will, and also be able to visit with others. Will still wear a mask, but level of anxiety will be so much lower.

Thanks. Very good points, and a bright spot for sure. Good to know distribution is working well in Fl. I am in Michigan. Very hard to get the vaccine here.

Great post. Some will still whine and complain.

Can't say much for Sumter county doing it's part

Thanks for the upbeat and fact based message. Refreshing!

Sorry to interrupt the pity party, but you couldn't be more wrong. Sumter county has continuously led the state in percentage of citizens who have been vaccinated.

Sister and brother in law live in Massachusetts and have both received their vaccinations.

I'm still waiting in Sumter County.

Curious as to what percentage of the 60% are choosing not to be vaccinated? I personally know of two who won't.

We also lead the state in the number of folks eligible (over 65) to get the vaccine. By a lot.

Of those 65 and older who have at gotten at least the first vaccine we are lagging the state average. State average is 38%. We are at 33%.

Of those 85 and over we are failing miserably. State average is 36%, we are at 23%

I suspect the reason is those closer to 65 are willing to travel to get their vaccines while those 85 and over are less able to travel.

For comparison, if all Seniors in Sumter Co were vaccinated we would be at 62% for all people 16 and over in the county.

If all the Seniors in Florida were vaccinated we would be at 20%.

I live in Sumter and I’ll admit they got off to a slow start but we both got 2 doses with little problem

I find it funny, the ones that got shot says doing good job, ones that can’t get shots say doing lousy job.

Let's separate the unprepared Sumter Health Department from Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, etc. The latter have stepped up big time. The former is an understaffed bureaucracy not equipped to handle this pandemic.

Just today, I saw shots being administered at Pinellas Winn Dixie, Leesburg Walmart and Walmart Market at Colony.( shopping list from SWMBO that required 3 stops) We got both our shots at Publix after wasting countless hours and travel trying to secure such from Lake and Sumter HD's.

Governor Desantis was smart to get the private sector involved and that is why we now lead the Nation in shots given for those most vulnerable to Covid.

I must agree. I got both shots in Lake County in January.

Don't know about the OP's claims.

As of Friday, percentage of distributed vaccines that have been administered: Florida 68.49%, NY 68.19, NJ 67.6, CA 65.6, MA 64. Lowest Kansas at 59%, highest Utah 88%. Is Florida really that great?

I just received my code for Saferestart (GMR). I went on that list on 1/12 at 11AM so that will give some an idea of how long before they are called. I had my first shot last week at Lake County and there is no way to cancel this GMR reservation.

I would guess that just like any other vaccine those that chose not to take it will be a very small minority. Once everyone in this state is vaccinated there will be no need to wear masks and social distance. As for those that refuse it, at that point they are only a danger to themselves.

While people in Massachusetts certainly have been vaccinated the number is low compared to Florida. You might as well say that other people in Florida have received both their shots but you haven't. What's your point? As I stated, people over the age of 65 have between a one out of six and one out of ten chance of getting the vaccine depending on how many doses are sent by the federal government.

Florida is doing a better job of getting those vaccines in the arms of people than any other state.

My statement is that Florida has injected the most people per capita than any other state. That's different from the highest percentage of vaccines received that have been administered.

I have to question these numbers as well. With so many people trying to get the vaccine it's difficult for me to believe that every dose sent here hasn't been administered, other than the fact that they may be saving doses for second doses. When I got my first shot, I got an appointment for my second shot. I guess that it's possible that they are holding those second doses until the date of the second appointment. That would explain the numbers in the 60th percentile.

It's possible that Utah has administered 88% of the doses received while only hoping that the second dose will be there when it's time.

Not sure from where you got your data. This is as of Feb 12: States ranked by percentage of COVID-19 vaccines administered: Feb. 12
Florida was #24

It appears that only about 23% of seniors have been vaccinated thus far. 1,044,00 shots for 4,500,000 senior in Florida.

I have a friend in Massachusetts he and his wife are just under 75, she has pre-existing conditions and they are not even close to being on a list to be vaccinated.

Oh thank you I feel so much better now

Thanks for getting the vaccine.
 

For all the difficulties getting registered, waiting in lines, etc. thanks to all those who got the shot! The more who get it, the better! Waiting my turn.:icon_wink:

The process here in Florida is not seamless but if persistent , you will get an appointment and the shots. NY is a typical mess.

Per capita, it is the highest in the nation

Do you actually believe the statistics that Desantis or any other governor gives out. I feel that they could be factual but politicians have been known to lie.

My wife and I will not get the shot

Don’t say much
 

Then maybe you shouldn’t.

No shot?
 

You would rather get and spread Covid? Very intelligent, NOT!

Interesting data point: A relative in NY was able to make online appointments for two individuals under 65 who had underlying conditions. From everything I've seen on this site, that cannot be done here in Florida.

Florida seems to be doing very well distributing the vaccines they are receiving. However, it would be nice if there was a way to accommodate those with underlying conditions. (and if I've missed something, please let me know)

Have you checked recently? I was able to get 2 appointments at Publix and one at Winn Dixie. I went to the first one and cancelled the other 2. They thanked me for cancelling the other 2 so they could open it to others. It seems that many don't bother cancelling and their spot never gets filled. Guess they just care about themselves.

I come from Massachusetts and follow Bakers reports. They should consider themselves very very very lucky.

Luckily, I starred out dirt poor. I went through hell to EARN my way to where I am. The truly minor things that people complain about, makes me wonder what would happen if anything truly got BAD.

But I'm sure you still want me to keep wearing the mask, which has no science behind it, to protect you.

I did a little research and could not verify your findings. All the information I found places Florida somewhere in the middle by either per capita or shots administered as a percentage of shots issued, with NY and NJ close by.
I am happy that across the nation various states leadership have all finally started pulling their head out of their butt and are getting vaccines out.
But I am still not happy with the failure to plan. We are just now figuring out the possibility of using pharmacies? And our less computer savvy seniors are having difficulty nation wide in getting on the vaccine lists.
In any case, I am glad people are getting shots and it appears we will have 100 million vaccinated in 100 days. I figure I'll get mine sometime in April. Although I am just now a 1 yr cancer survivor, I am only 64 and not eligible. And yes I know physicians can administer vaccines to high risk groups but physicians haven't been allotted any vaccines so its a moot point.
As someone else said, the people who have been vaccinated seem much happier than those still waiting.

I'm glad to hear so many have been able to get shots, gives me hope. I have been trying to get my 86 yr old mom and 90 yr old dad in somewhere but have had no luck. I got them on the GMR list but I have been unsuccessful with Publix and WinnDixie and Walmart sites just always say nothing available. Neither could manage waiting in line for so long at Leesburg. I had hoped my mom's oncologist could pull some strings but no such luck.

Family in Virginia, Washington,DC, and Tennessee have all been vaccinated, with none over 65, while we wait here in Sumter County

Thank you for this. I have been trying to say the same thing to anyone listening. You have a much better way of explaining how lucky we are.

Great post! People are quick to blame our Governor who I guess is responsible for manufacturing the vaccines, and also bashing the developer here who has no role in this. Bottom line is that you can’t distribute vaccines that you don’t have! I can’t imagine living any place other than Florida throughout all of this with being held prisoner in my home, schools closed for a year, and highly restrictive movement and businesses closed in so many states that we’ve all come from. The naysayers are welcome to head back to where they came from. Thanks for the post!😊

You are sooooo wrong! Sumter Cty is doing a fabulous job! Don't forget, the administration of the vaccine depends on the distribution of the vaccine....in other words, If the County doesn't have any vaccine, they can't distribute it. Our Gov has done an excellent job of getting the vaccine distributed out there in all of Florida for administration according to the plan (65 and older first.) I have been lucky to have received both my shots (Moderna) and am very grateful.