10 things to know about Orlando’s FEMA vaccination site

WESH 2’S MARLEI MARTINEZ JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM THE SITE IN ORLANDO. MARLEI, HOW’S IT GOING, AND WHAT’S IT LIKE? MARLEI: WAIT TIME IS ABOUT TWO HOURS. THEY HAVE MADE CHANGES, ADDING A NEW TENSE, AND WE GOT A LOOK INSIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME. IN ORLANDO, WE’RE USED TO LONG LINES. BUT THIS IS NO THEME PARK, THOUGH PEOPLE WERE STILL VERY EXCITED TO GET TO THE MAIN EVENT. REGINA GONCALVES COULDN’T WAIT TO GET IN THAT CHAIR. >> I’M SO HAPPY, SO HAPPY. FINALLY, THIS IS -- I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE I’M HAVING THIS. MARLEI: AS A TEACHER, SHE’S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR MONTHS. >> IT IS A VERY BIG MOMENT, AND I HOPE SOON EVERYBODY GETS THE SHOT. MARLEI: THE PRIMARY VACCINE FEMA OFFERS AT THIS SITE IS PFIZER. STARTING FRIDAY, THEY’RE ALSO OFFERING JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINES. AND YOU CAN PICK. BUT IT’S FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, SO YOU HAVE TO GET HERE EARLY BEFORE THE J&J DOSES RUN OUT. >> IT IS EXCITING NEWS. EVERY SITE, EVERY HUB HERE IN ORLANDO, IN TAMPA, IN MIAMI, IN JACKSONVILLE, ARE GETTING UP TO 6,000 A WEEK. MARLEI: ON FRIDAY, ORLANDO’S FEMA SITE UPPED ITS DAILY DOSES FROM 2,000 TO 3,000 VACCINES, 2,500 PFIZER AND 500 JOHNSON & JOHNSON DOSES. AFTER PEOPLE GET THEIR SHOT AND THEIR CARD, THEY MAKE THEIR WAY OVER TO THE OBSERVATION TENT FOR UP TO 30 MINUTES. ALL SAID AND DONE, THE ENTIRE PROCESS TOOK LONGER THAN SOME PEOPLE EXPECTED. BUT THEY SAY, FLORIDIANS ARE USED TO WAITS. >> I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE, LIKE, MAYBE 30 MINUTES OR AN HOUR. HERE IT WAS, LIKE, TWO HOURS, BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH THE WAIT. DEFINITELY WORTH THE WAIT. SO I SAY TO EVERYONE, COME ON OUT. MARLEI: THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. WHILE THE STATE IS ONLY ALLOWING TEACHERS 50 AND UP TO GET A SHOT, HERE AT THIS FEMA SITE, THEY’RE TAKING TEACHERS OF ALL AGES, WHICH MEANS, IF YOU’RE AN EDUCATOR UNDER 50, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PRE-REGISTER ON THE STATE WEBSITE. YOU WILL HAVE TO COME HERE IN PERSON AND SIGN UP

Orlando’s FEMA vaccination site opened to the public on Wednesday. According to Lt. Colonel Troy Fisher, the commander in charge of the site, it will be set up for the next two months. Here are 10 things to know if you plan on going:1. Where is the site located?Valencia College’s west campus located along 1800 South Kirkman Road.2. When is the site open?Seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or until they run out of daily doses.3. How many doses are they administering?Three-thousand doses per day. According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, on Friday the daily vaccine allotment increased from 2,000 to 3,000 doses per day after the FEMA site received its first shipment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines. 4. What kind of vaccines are they offering?The site offers 2,500 Pfizer vaccines and 500 Johnson & Johnson vaccines per day. People can choose which vaccine they want, but it is first-come first-served. 5. Do I need an appointment?No. FEMA is encouraging walk-ups in an effort to make sure the vaccine is accessible to as many people as possible. You can also pre-register at the state website.6. Who can get a shot?According to FEMA, these are the people who can get a vaccine at the site:Long-term care facility residents/staff Health care personnel with direct patient contact People 65+ Persons under 65 deemed medically vulnerable by a physician Police & firefighters 50+ Teachers of any ageFEMA is mostly following the state’s eligibility criteria. The one difference is FEMA is allowing teachers of all ages to get a vaccine, which is in line with federal guidelines as opposed to state guidelines where only teachers 50 and above can get a shot. Since the state has not yet lifted its age requirement for teachers, a FEMA spokesperson said teachers under 50 will have to register at the site in person instead of using the state’s website.7. What do I need to bring?According to FDEM, if you are eligible for a vaccine based on your occupation, you have to show proof of employment like a school badge. If you are eligible for a shot because you are medically vulnerable and under 65 years old, the state requires you to bring a new state form that is signed by a doctor.8. What other items should I bring?According to people who ended up waiting in line for two hours on Friday, you should wear comfortable shoes, clothes and sunblock. Be prepared to wait outside.9. Is this a drive-thru vaccine site?No. You park your car in the parking lot and stand in line. Site coordinators are adding more tents in the parking lot for people waiting. 10. Is there a way to know if they have run out of vaccines before I drive out?No. Since the site is first-come first-served, your best bet at getting a shot is showing up early. Whenever the site runs out of vaccines for the day, they announce it over the intercom in the parking lot of the college. If you are in line when they run out of doses, site coordinators will schedule you for a future appointment.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

1. Where is the site located?

Valencia College’s west campus located along 1800 South Kirkman Road.

2. When is the site open?

Seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or until they run out of daily doses.

3. How many doses are they administering?

Three-thousand doses per day. According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, on Friday the daily vaccine allotment increased from 2,000 to 3,000 doses per day after the FEMA site received its first shipment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

4. What kind of vaccines are they offering?

The site offers 2,500 Pfizer vaccines and 500 Johnson & Johnson vaccines per day. People can choose which vaccine they want, but it is first-come first-served.

5. Do I need an appointment?

No. FEMA is encouraging walk-ups in an effort to make sure the vaccine is accessible to as many people as possible. You can also pre-register at the state website.

6. Who can get a shot?

According to FEMA, these are the people who can get a vaccine at the site:

Long-term care facility residents/staff
Health care personnel with direct patient contact
People 65+
Persons under 65 deemed medically vulnerable by a physician
Police & firefighters 50+
Teachers of any age

FEMA is mostly following the state’s eligibility criteria. The one difference is FEMA is allowing teachers of all ages to get a vaccine, which is in line with federal guidelines as opposed to state guidelines where only teachers 50 and above can get a shot.

Since the state has not yet lifted its age requirement for teachers, a FEMA spokesperson said teachers under 50 will have to register at the site in person instead of using the state’s website.

7. What do I need to bring?

According to FDEM, if you are eligible for a vaccine based on your occupation, you have to show proof of employment like a school badge.

If you are eligible for a shot because you are medically vulnerable and under 65 years old, the state requires you to bring a new state form that is signed by a doctor.

8. What other items should I bring?

According to people who ended up waiting in line for two hours on Friday, you should wear comfortable shoes, clothes and sunblock. Be prepared to wait outside.

9. Is this a drive-thru vaccine site?

No. You park your car in the parking lot and stand in line. Site coordinators are adding more tents in the parking lot for people waiting.

10. Is there a way to know if they have run out of vaccines before I drive out?

No. Since the site is first-come first-served, your best bet at getting a shot is showing up early. Whenever the site runs out of vaccines for the day, they announce it over the intercom in the parking lot of the college. If you are in line when they run out of doses, site coordinators will schedule you for a future appointment.

10 things to know about Orlando’s FEMA vaccination site

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