Second doses of COVID-19 vaccine becoming available in Southwest Florida for seniors

Liz Freeman
Naples Daily News

Angela Crowley said she can feel at ease knowing she will soon get her second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19.

“I’m very relieved,” said Crowley, 71, of Fort Myers. “I’ve been trying every day to get information...You hear it’s going to happen but you don’t know when.”

Officials announced Thursday that the state Department of Health in Lee County has received a shipment of 6,000 second doses of the Moderna vaccine for those seniors 65 and older and frontline medical workers who got their first dose on Dec. 28-30.

The health department had provided the first dose on a “first come, first serve” basis at Estero Recreation Center, the old Bonita Springs Library site, Veterans Recreation Center, Lakes Regional Library, Fort Myers STARS Complex, Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral and North Fort Myers Recreation Center.

Crowley, and her husband, John, 73, were among the hundreds of people who lined up for hours or camped out overnight just to get the vaccine. The rollout garnered national media attention as an example of Florida’s bumpy vaccine distribution.

Gov. Ron DeSantis decided to vaccinate the state’s 4.5 million seniors 65 and older ahead of essential workers, setting the stage for a frenzy for the coveted vaccine.

Vaccine rollout:Southwest Florida seniors want easier COVID-19 vaccination sign up

COVID-19 vaccine tracker:See how many people in Florida have been vaccinated by county, state

The Crowleys spent 12 hours in line at Lakes Regional Library the evening of Dec. 29. They got their first dose the next morning.

“I don’t think I will have to wait 12 hours again,” she said this week.

County officials confirmed the health department in Lee will begin contacting seniors and medical workers that received their first dose from those seven county locations starting Friday, Jan. 15, through its state vendor, Tidal Basin. The appointments will be Jan. 27-28.

The NCH Healthcare System in Collier County also has received more Moderna vaccine earmarked for second doses to frontline employees, first responders and some seniors 65 and older who got first doses Dec. 23, according to NCH.

NCH’s second shipment of 4,900 doses is the same number as the first allocation. The hospital system already has scheduled the second dose appointments with the individuals from the first round, NCH said.

The publicly-operated Lee Health, the largest hospital in Lee, received 4,875 doses of the Pfizer vaccine this past week and started giving second doses to healthcare workers, according to spokesman Jonathon Little. 

Officials with the health department in Collier haven’t announced when second doses would be given.

Getting the second dose 28 days after the first is important for the efficacy of the vaccine, said Crowley, a nurse practitioner. She was getting a little worried how they were going to get it done in time, she said.

The Lee health department has now switched to a call-in system for required first dose appointments but that has had its own challenges, processing thousands of calls and filling reservation slots claimed within minutes for a limited supply of the vaccine.

DeSantis blames Lee hospitals:Seniors waiting in long lines to get COVID-19 vaccine

Lee County manager: COVID-19 vaccine rollout is 'not going to be pretty for a while'

Betty Springate, 68, who camped out at the Estero recreation center on Dec. 28, was tickled to learn she and her husband, Jerry , 70, won’t have to do that again.

“I’ve been anxious as to whether or not we needed to arrange it or if we had to call,” she said, about the second dose. “They gave us a little card. It wasn’t quite clear.”

Once they get fully dosed-up, life will get a lot better, she said.

“We won’t be afraid to get on airplane,” she said. “I’m thrilled.”

Not all individuals will receive calls on Friday, county officials said. Calls will continue through the weekend until Tidal Basin has scheduled all appointments. Tidal Basin will attempt three phone calls to each individual to schedule the follow-up appointment.

They offered these tips for receiving the call:

  • Watch for text messages informing you that you will be receiving a call soon.
  • Answer unknown numbers.
  • Check the settings on your mobile device to ensure unknown callers will be accepted and are not blocked.

All second doses will be administered at the current vaccination site near Southwest Florida International Airport off Daniels Parkway, according to Lee county. The location is the old terminal parking lot. Message boards will direct traffic to Paul J. Doherty Parkway.

People with second-dose appointments in Lee will need to bring a government-issued identification card and their COVID-19 vaccination record card that they received after the first dose, according to Lee county officials.

For more information, call the Tidal Basin call center at 888-499-0851 or visit leegov.com/vaccine.