HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, will begin the second round of COVID-19 vaccinations this week for residents age 65 and older.
Hillsborough has allocated 9,000 doses of the vaccine to be administered at three distribution sites from Wednesday, Jan. 13 through Friday, Jan. 15.
Appointments are mandatory to get the first of two vaccine injections.
Appointments will be scheduled online by CDR HealthPro portal and by phone on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Residents age 65 and older can only make their appointments during the designated timeframe specific to their age group.
- Residents age 85 and older can book an appointment between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- Residents age 75 to 84 can book an appointment between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- Residents age 65 to 74 can book an appointment between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
- After 5 p.m., any resident age 65 and older can book any remaining slots while appointments remain available.
Each age group has a dedicated number of appointment slots available to help ensure equity in scheduling.
The online CDR HealthPro portal and the call center, which is available for residents without access to the Internet, will not allow for appointment scheduling outside each age group’s designated appointment time window.
Residents are encouraged to book their vaccine appointments online at patientportalfl.com. Though appointment scheduling must be done only during the timeframe set aside for specific age groups, residents can save time by visiting the site today and creating an account in advance. This will make the process quicker and easier when it is time to schedule an appointment.
For persons without access to the Internet, appointments can be made by calling (850) 848-5287. The call center is available for account creation today as well. The call center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can provide guidance in English and Spanish. Please note that this call center is for account creation and scheduling appointments only. If you need medical guidance, you will be instructed to hang up and contact your health care provider.
Residents who create their account in advance, should write down and save login information for use when they return to schedule their appointments.
Appointments can be made for the vaccination site most convenient to them.
Appointments for the required second dose can be made at the time of scheduling.
There will be no vaccines for residents without appointments, and there is no waiting list.
The three vaccine distribution sites are:
- Vance Vogel Sports Complex 13012 Bullfrog Creek Road, Gibsonton, FL 33534
- Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds 2700 W. Risk St., Plant City, FL 33563
- Ed Radice Sports Complex 14720 Ed Radice Drive, Tampa, FL 33626
All sites will be open from Wednesday through Friday. These sites were chosen for their geographic diversity, available resources, and population density of residents age 65 and older. Details about access to the vaccine distribution sites will be given to residents upon appointment confirmation.
Those arriving ahead of schedule may be turned away and instructed to return at their scheduled time. For more information about vaccines and what to expect at your appointment, visit HCFLGov.net/Vaccine.
Hillsborough County expects to receive allocations of vaccine from the state as it is made available. Vaccination appointments will be provided to the public based on the vaccine supply allocation received. As a reminder, Hillsborough County is in Phase I of the vaccine distribution plan as outlined and directed by the governor of Florida.
Phase I is categorized by limited supply of vaccine availability and is focused on long-term care facilities (residents and staff); front-line health care workers; and persons age 65 and over. Limited availability of vaccines is anticipated over the next several weeks.
Hillsborough County Emergency Management also is coordinating with the state of Florida for mobile distribution of vaccines to group homes and independent living facilities that meet the state’s criteria.
Hillsborough County’s public vaccination sites delivered 8,447 shots last week to people age 65 and over, and 522 shots to front-line health care workers in a targeted vaccination effort. While Hillsborough County currently does not have access to the number of vaccines being distributed by hospitals and private health care systems, additional vaccination efforts are underway in this community.
Qualified individuals under Phase I of the governor of Florida’s vaccination distribution plan are also encouraged to check with their health care provider as they may be able to provide a vaccine.
Hillsborough County has contracted CDR Maguire: Health & Medical to assist with the vaccine distribution efforts.
Face Coverings Mandate Remains in Effect The mandate that face coverings must be worn in indoor locations of businesses, with certain exceptions, remains in effect. For more information, go to HCFLGov.net/Facecoverings.
For more information on COVID-19, and any other potential emergency in the county, visit HCFLGov.net/StaySafe and sign up for the HCFL Alert system.
Additionally, you can follow Hillsborough County on social media at Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor for updates. For general County information, call (813) 272-5900, the County’s main information line.