On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Jacksonville where he announced additional COVID-19 vaccination sites across the state of Florida through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program sites will begin offering COVID-19 vaccines on Friday, February 12 at 490 pharmacy locations across 52 counties. The state secured these retail partnerships and collaborated to identify strategic locations for each store to ensure maximum reach.
“Florida is proud to partner with Walmart and other retailers, including Publix, to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine,” said DeSantis. “Through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, we look forward to reaching more Floridians and ensuring that all eligible residents who want a vaccine are able to receive one. We will continue to utilize strategic partnerships and identify innovative ways to get more shots in arms and put Florida’s Seniors First.”
For the first week of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the state is expecting to receive 65,300 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Future allocations through this program will be announced as they become available.
In Florida, Walmart/Sam’s Club, Publix Super Markets and Southeastern Grocers (Winn-Dixie, Harveys Supermarket and Fresco y Más) pharmacies were selected to begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine. The sites were selected based on a number of factors including the number of stores and the ability to reach prioritized populations.
Select Publix locations previously receiving allocations from the state will now receive their allocations directly through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. A list of all vaccination sites at Publix locations in Florida is available here.
In accordance with Executive Order 20-315, these sites will offer the COVID-19 vaccine to all individuals 65 years of age and older, as well as frontline health care workers.
These allocations are additional doses to the state’s weekly allocations to supplement existing COVID-19 vaccination efforts. All locations listed will receive their vaccine doses directly from the federal government and the federal government determines allocations for each location.
The number of sites and the counties they are located in are as follows:
- Publix – 593 locations (324 current, 269 new) (Alachua, Bay, Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwanee, Volusia and Walton)
- Walmart and Sam’s Club – 119 locations (Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Duval, Escambia, Gadsden, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Leon, Marion, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, St. Lucie, Sumter, Wakulla)
- Winn-Dixie – 43 locations (Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Duval, Escambia, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jackson, Lake, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Putnam, Sarasota, Sumter, Volusia)
Appointments are required at each location. Appointments can be made on the pharmacy’s website.