TAMPA, Fla. — Another round of COVID-19 vaccines are on their way to Florida hospitals, this time from Moderna.
It was the second vaccine to gain emergency use authorization from the FDA.
“This is a time of year where people really want to be infused with hope and this vaccine is helping with that,” said Michael Magee, chief pharmacy officer for BayCare Health System.
He said they received several thousand doses of the vaccine Monday and expected more throughout the week.
The hospital system will vaccinate team members tomorrow, setting up vaccination clinics at Winter Haven Hospital and an office in Clearwater, before resuming the vaccination clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital Wednesday.
Each location is expected to vaccinate 500-1,000 members each day.
“People are really emotional about getting this vaccine and putting an end to this pandemic. It’s really been an incredible time for us and our community and certainly, this is really a refreshing moment for us,” said Magee.
In total, 173 hospitals across the state are expecting shipments of Moderna this week.
“We’re getting today about 61,000 doses of the Moderna are gonna arrive today is what we’re tracking and then tomorrow I think tomorrow’s going to be over 300,000 and so that’s gonna go to over 170 hospitals throughout the state of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
That includes dozens of hospitals in the Tampa Bay region.
“That’s what we wanted that’s what we hoped for and just excitement just absolute excitement,” said Shana Gaines, 75, on the vaccine being distributed.
Gaines said she took part in the trial.
“I have had, like everybody, family, friends, my son who lost a business but those are after-effects of the COVID but I’m by myself I was the right age the excitement of being part of something, history being made,” she said.
Now, she’s focused on sharing facts and information on the vaccine.
“They just shouldn’t hesitate the testing has been done,” she said.
She’s also looking forward to the future.
“At my age, I don’t have that much time to waste,” she said.