BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A look outside Brevard County’s health department Wednesday and it was obvious a few dozen seniors were prioritizing scheduling COVID-19 vaccination appointments.
Ray and Constance Bernstein said they got booked for Feb. 1.
“We don’t want to get the disease,” the couple said.
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Brevard County said the first appointments will start Monday afternoon from 1:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. and then weekday morning appointments will begin Tuesday between 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Communications Director Don Walker said the health department was, “Inundated with calls to the point where people are getting messages that either the phone line has been disconnected or it’s going to a voicemail.”
So following the phone failures, the county changed the registration system to go online, and then by 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, emergency management reported all appointments were now filled.
Sue Tardio missed making an appointment not only because of the phone issues but because when she saw the line, she said she’d rather come back another time.
“We’ve been trying to call on the phone and I’ve called about 225 times and I can’t get through,” Tardio said.
The county said bring your driver’s license or healthcare badge to the drive-thru for your appointment.
And if you’re visiting, you’re in luck, because you can still get the shot without being a local resident.
“We’re hearing from people who are grateful that an appointment has been made, but we’re getting a lot of frustrated people calling,” Walker said.