Pinellas: Updates To Vaccine Appointment System, New Site To Open

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — A new public site for COVID-19 vaccines is opening next week as the process for booking appointments changes to ease scheduling.

Public health officials shared this and other updates about the countywide pandemic response Tuesday as the Board of County Commissioners extended the Local State of Emergency through February 19.

Residents 65 and older who have created accounts through the CDR Health Pro Patient Portal will be contacted directly to schedule their vaccination as new appointments become available in the coming weeks. For now, the first to register will be the first invited to make appointments. There are approximately 60,000 residents registered in the system who have not yet been scheduled for an appointment.

Residents can preregister at the website or call 844-770-8548 to create an account or get help.

To date, more than 94,000 people have received at least their first dose of the vaccine in Pinellas County, around 9.5 percent of the county’s population.

Pinellas County currently has the second highest percentage of people vaccinated among large Florida counties and the highest rate among long-term care facility residents, which have seen a disproportionate number of deaths from the pandemic, said Dr. Ulyee Choe, director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County.

About 10,000 people per week are being vaccinated at four public sites run by the DOH-Pinellas and supported by local fire paramedics, though all vaccines at those sites are going toward second doses this week, he said.

A fifth site with larger capacity has been identified and may come online as early as next week.

Residents are registering for vaccines at those sites using the patient portal, but many others are getting vaccinated through hospitals, health centers, long-term care facilities and through pharmacies that recently began offering the vaccine.

Choe said the county had a 5.6 percent average positive test rate over the past week and hospital and intensive care unit capacity remains stable

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In other board action:

• The commission greed to hold a discussion at an upcoming work session regarding requests the county has received to rename the Pinellas County Justice Center after the late Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe and a county courthouse or the Pinellas County Law Library after the late attorney Fred G. Minnis.
• The commission authorized $1.6 million in funding to increase hurricane shelter capacity and capability at 10 Pinellas County schools. The upgrades will add 4,026 shelter spaces at 20 feet per person and 691 special needs spaces at 40 square feet per person, as well as add 800 pets sheltering capability.
• The commission approved a grant agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support the Philippe Park Living Shoreline and Seawall Enhancement project through the National Coastal Resilience Fund. This project includes options to increase coastal resilience, reduce seawall deterioration, expand aquatic habitat and increase public education.