FEMA To Reimburse Hillsborough $4.48M For Coronavirus Testing

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Hillsborough County will receive $4.48 million in funding from Federal Emergency Management Agency for the county's coronavirus response efforts.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio made the announcement on Twitter.

The funding is to reimburse the county for providing regional coronavirus testing sites as well as testing Tampa Bay fire rescue and nursing staffs for coronavirus.

FEMA previously reimbursed communities for 75 percent of the costs incurred during an emergency. However, President Joe Biden recently approved 100 percent reimbursements for costs incurred due to the pandemic.

In the meantime, FEMA is continuing its push to speed up vaccinations across the country. In addition to Pfizer and Moderna, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been delivered to federal pilot vaccination centers in California, Florida and Texas, including the Hillsborough County site at the Tampa Greyhound Race Track.

FEMA has also provided more than $4.02 billion to reimburse communities for 100 percent of expenses for establishing 450 permanent vaccination centers and 47 mobile vaccination centers around the country.

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's social vulnerability index, the agency is partnering with state leaders to identify community vaccination centers where they will be able to do the most good for the most vulnerable populations.

The U.S. National Guard Bureau is pitching in, providing 1,198 people to provide vaccinations at 409 vaccination sites and Department of Defense Vaccine Support teams have deployed 1,151 personnel to administer vaccinations and 1,272 clinical staff members to states including Florida to aid in the effort.

The FEMA site at Tampa Greyhound Race Track, 755 E. Waters Ave., Tampa, is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. No appointment is necessary.

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