More COVID-19 Vaccines On The Way To St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — St. Petersburg residents 65 and older will soon be able to pre-register for a second round of COVID-19 vaccines, health officials said.

Approximately 10,000 vaccines will be available for first dose starting next week, Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County Director Dr. Ulyee Choe said.

The state-run health department is also partnering with Pinellas County in a contract with a new company to operate an online and phone registration system that’s also being used by Pasco, Hillsborough, Orange and other Florida counties.

Vaccinations are expected to begin next week, with sites announced once logistics are finalized.

More than 29,000 people have already received at least the first dose of the vaccine in Pinellas, primarily through hospitals, health centers and at long-term care facilities, which have been hardest hit by the pandemic, Choe said.

“We’re receiving a small amount in terms of the total need. A lot of the distribution is going to come through other means,” Pinellas County Administrator Barry A. Burton said. “People are going to have to be patient. This is going to take months, not days."

As new vaccine supply becomes available, the county will share this information online at: https://covid19.pinellascounty.org/vaccines/ and the FLDOH-Pinellas site http://pinellas.floridahealth.gov/.