ORLANDO, Fla. – Initial vaccine efforts have been slow going in Florida and the rest of the country as local health departments attempt to rollout vaccination sites, meanwhile the rate of COVID-19 infections has been on the rise for the past five days.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4.2 million people across the U.S. have received their first shot of either the Moderna or Pfzier COVID-19 vaccines. However, more than 13 million doses have been distributed nationwide.
The rollout has been marked by a multitude of logistical hurdles, a patchwork of approaches by state and local governments and confusion. Some people are uncertain where or when to get a shot.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said over the weekend that he saw “some little glimmer of hope” in the stepped-up rate of vaccinations. He acknowledged the U.S. fell short of its goal of having 20 million doses shipped and distributed by the end of December, saying, “We are not where we want to be.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to start ramping up coronavirus vaccines around the state by utilizing current state-run testing sites and relying on hospitals, as well as community churches, for wider distribution.
The governor has directed the Division of Emergency Management to work with the Florida Department of Health to identify state run COVID-19 testing sites that can be converted into vaccine sites.
[READ YESTERDAY’S REPORT: Florida reports 10,000 new cases, 184 hospitalizations]