FL Will See Increase In COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

SUN CITY CENTER, FL — A new coronavirus vaccine pod opened in Sun City Center Wednesday morning that plans to distribute 1,000 doses a day for the next five days to seniors.

Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters at the Sun City Center Community Association that his administration wants to focus on high elderly populations by providing vaccine pods. Thursday, a vaccine pod will be provided in Osceola County at a senior community, according to DeSantis.

This is a drive-thru site. A person who wants to take the shot can get it while on a golf cart or in a car.

"We had success on doing these pods on sites down in South Florida," DeSantis said. "We've done places like the Kings Point in Delray Beach, as well as places like Century Village."

The Florida Department of Health reported Wednesday the total number of positive coronavirus cases since March is 1,676,171; statewide hospitalizations are at 71,155; and coronavirus-related deaths are at 26,246.

Florida will receive an increase in vaccine doses next week, DeSantis said.

"For the past several weeks, Florida has received approximately 260,00 first doses per week, and during that same timeframe, we averaged 375,000 first dose vaccines administered per week," DeSantis tweeted. Fortunately, we just learned that next week, Florida will receive 307,000 first doses from the federal government. While we welcome this modest increase, supply remains a critical issue in vaccinating our 65 and older population. My administration will continue working hard to swiftly distribute the vaccine to Florida's seniors, while requesting the federal government increase our supply as quickly as possible."

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced an increase in supply to states over the next few weeks.

"So, we will both increase the supply in the short term by more than 15 percent and give our states and local partners more certainty about when the deliveries will arrive," Biden said. "These two steps are going to help increase our prospects of hitting and — or exceeding, God willing, the ambitious goal of 100 million shots in 100 days."