💉 COVID-ictionary: “Vaccine'' (noun) “a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease.” Or, as we like to think of them: A tool that may help us say “cash me outside” to COVID-19.
Helping foster the feeling that there may be a bright light at the end of a very dark, socially-distanced + Zoom face-freezing tunnel, several COVID-19 vaccines were approved + released to the public toward the end of 2020.
This prompted many of you to reach out to us asking one question: When will vaccines be rolled out in Lakeland + Polk County? And more specifically, when will they be made available to seniors?
According to The Florida Department of Health in Polk County, there is currently a limited inventory of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in the county. Local officials are working on rolling out a distribution plan as soon as possible – which includes notifying the public on when they can receive the vaccine.
DOH-Polk received limited COVID-19 vaccine. We are planning for distribution that meets the governor’s executive order requirements. Visit our website at https://t.co/kNcVPM4i1U for more info on this process as more vaccine becomes available.
— DOH Polk (@FLHealthPolk) December 30, 2020
Priority levels for the vaccine will be first given in Polk County to eligible residents aged 65+, as they become available. Among the group in Polk that has been vaccinated already includes hospital staff + first responders, and residents in certain assisted living facilities.
You can find more updates from the Florida Department of Health in Polk on when the vaccine will be available, here.