Elderly people 65 years and older and people with health conditions that make them extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 can now save ‘their place in the queue’ by pre-registering for the vaccine in Florida via a new website and telephone system.
Healthcare workers with direct patient contact and long-term caregivers and staff can also pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The new website is myvaccine.fl.gov. For those who do not have internet access, you can also pre-register by telephone. Visit the hotline website to determine the number for your country.
Anyone who pre-registers for a vaccine appointment will be notified when slots are available at state-sponsored vaccination sites in their state, according to the Florida Emergency Management Division, which has the task of overseeing the state’s vaccine distribution. Once you have an appointment, you must provide proof that you are a Florida resident.
Florida residents who do not meet the priority criteria can also sign up to receive email updates to find out when they are eligible to receive the vaccine.
How to pre-register
Those who are eligible for the vaccine can choose the country in which they want to receive the vaccine. You will be asked to fill in basic information including name, email address, phone number and whether you need the first or second dose. You can also choose if you prefer to be contacted by phone, sms or email when an appointment is available.
For those who do not have internet access, you can also pre-register by telephone. To find the designated number for your country, visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FL-VACCINE-HOTLINES_updated-0124.pdf.
“Vaccine supply remains limited and appointments may not be available for a few weeks in some counties,” the Florida Emergency Management Division said in a news release.
The site also shows you a list of state-supported sites, by province.
If your country does not have any state-owned websites, you can still opt in to the waiting list to be notified when a website is available. Remember that the website is an opt-in system that is open to all 67 provinces. This means that your country must report to the state to be included in the system.
According to a provincial health department spokesman, Hillsborough County, which has a state-sponsored vaccination center at the University Mall in Tampa, will use its new online portal pre-registration. The province said people who registered with PatientPortal before January 16 or through the country’s current system would not have to re-register.
There are no state-sponsored vaccination sites in Pinellas, Pasco or Hernando. The Pinellas health department stressed that people who only report through the state’s My Vaccine system cannot get an appointment in Pinellas because the system is not yet used in the country. The Pasco Health Department also said it would continue with the current enrollment process instead of using the state registration system.
Although there is a state residency requirement, there is no land requirement. This means that anyone living in Pinellas or Hillsborough can pre-register to get the vaccine in Polk, or vice versa.
The Lee County Government and its Department of Health tweeted late Thursday about the online registration system, describing it as a soft launch. Florida only officially announced the new website shortly before 11 a.m. Friday.
Times author Allison Ross and Bradenton Herald author Jessica Leon contributed to this report.
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