JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As of Tuesday, COVID-19 deaths topped at 40 in Duval County, creating a single-day record for the area. While local officials anticipate more deaths, they are wary of a limited supply of vaccines.
“Understand that we are facing a national logistics issue, an unprecedented situation we never been in,” said the Mayor of Jacksonville, Lenny Curry.
Curry says by the end of the day Thursday, the city anticipates it will run out of its first dose of vaccines. Individuals who are expecting their second dose are accounted for and will get their second dose.
“The City of Jacksonville does not control the supply chain and what’s available, while the state of Florida determines who receives their weekly allotment and how much. they don’t even know how much they’ll on a week to week basis," Curry said.
If the vaccines do run out, the two city-sponsored vaccination sites will no longer operate for new vaccinations.
With the shortfall in doses chief executive officer administration, Dr. Leon Haley, explains what hospitals are looking like.
“We still at UF Health Jacksonville have 115 active patients in our hospitals right now that are COVID positive. Twenty-five of those are in an ICU and 10 of those are on a ventilator. Those numbers are still higher than any of our numbers over the summer", Haley said.
Since the opening of the two-city distribution locations, Jacksonville was able to vaccinate more than 8,000 individuals, averaging 1,100 vaccines per day.
“We stand ready to open more sites if the supplies are available," Curry said.
Curry says emergency personnel intend to open an additional site at Regency in the near future.
“It’s important that we stand together as a community, as a state, and as a country to work together to get these supplies out to people," the mayor said.
At this pace, it may take months for people to get their vaccines, and that’s why Curry is reminding people to do their part in stay safe: Wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your hands often.