PORT ORANGE, Fla. – A new temporary vaccination site opened Friday morning in a Port Orange neighborhood, offering shots for eligible Florida seniors.
The new site opened at the Cranes Lakes community on Cranes Lake Boulevard.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Friday afternoon and addressed the public and members of the press, telling them that he’s glad Volusia County residents will be provided more access to the vaccine.
“We were able to bring 4,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines here for seniors, so we’re going to do this over the next four days and be able to, I think, make a really big impact,” DeSantis said.
He said most non-rural Florida counties have at least half of their senior populations vaccinated and he expects that number to improve in the coming weeks as vaccine supply ramps up. The state eligibility expands to 60 and older on Monday, then DeSantis expects to change it to 55 and up at some point this month before opening to all Floridians before May 1.
The Port Orange site will operate during the final days of Daytona Beach Bike Week, which the governor said he planned to visit.
“We’re excited that Bike Week is happening here, that we got a lot of folks to spend a lot of money. I am planning on making a pit stop and visiting with some of the folks after this event. I’m going to have the first lady with me and I’m going to have (my children) Madison and Mason, their first time sitting on a Harley. So, hopefully we have a good time,” DeSantis said.
He reiterated that Florida is open for business and he has no plans to impose any lockdowns.
The Crane Lakes vaccine site will be open four days:
- Friday, March 12 - 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, March 13 – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Sunday, March 14 – Noon – 7 p.m.
- Monday, March 15 - 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Volusia County Department of Health and county government continue to hold vaccine events at the Volusia County Fairground in DeLand. Appointments will need to be made for first doses at myvaccine.fl.gov or by calling 866-201-7314.
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