OCALA, Fla.—Progress continues to be made in COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Marion County. As of Tuesday, March 9, a total of 61,602 Marion residents have been vaccinated for COVID-19 across all vaccine providers (health department, long-term care facilities, hospitals, etc.) A total of 92,675 doses have been administered to residents (includes first and second doses). 

In its vaccination scheduling efforts, the Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) finished contacting its original list of 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine registrants on March 7. The department is now working on scheduling individuals who registered via the MyVaccine.FL.gov website and registration phone number.

As DOH-Marion has begun scheduling individuals who registered via MyVaccine.FL.gov, staff are finding that many registrants have already received a vaccine. To enhance the ability of staff to book appointments at the site, DOH-Marion is utilizing an outside vendor to schedule select dates at the Paddock Mall vaccination site. The vendor may call from an outside area code.

How to register for COVID-19 appointments

Eligible Marion County residents continue to have several ways to register for a future COVID-19 appointment in the community. The below opens groups of appointments periodically; appointments are only available at select locations.

- www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine or 1-800-746-7287

- www.publix.com/covid-vaccine 

- www.samsclub.com/covid 

- www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19

- www.walmart.com/COVIDvaccine 

- www.winndixie.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine

Residents also have the option of pre-registering online or via telephone for a COVID-19 vaccination through the state of Florida’s MyVaccine.FL.Gov system. Through signing up in the system, residents are placed in a queue to be proactively contacted once vaccine is available at state-supported vaccination sites.

To pre-register for vaccine in Marion County through the state site, visit https://myvaccine.fl.gov  or call the MyVaccine.FL.Gov Marion County phone number: 866-201-6768, (TTY #: 833-476-1519). For questions on registering via MyVaccine.FL.Gov, residents can call 833-540-2070.

Eligibility groups to widen further beginning March 15

Starting March 15, residents who are 60 years of age or older can begin registering for COVID-19 vaccination appointments. They will join the groups of already eligible individuals for vaccination, which include the below:

• Long term care facility residents and staff
• Persons 65 years of age and older
• Health care personnel with direct patient contact
• K-12 school employees 50 years of age or older
• Sworn law enforcement officers 50 years of age or older
• Firefighters 50 years of age or older
• Individuals deemed extremely vulnerable to COVID-19

As part of updates to vaccination guidelines, the state recently opened state sites (in addition to retail pharmacy and federal vaccination sites) for appointments for individuals deemed extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. If you qualify for vaccination under this category, your physician will need to complete the required form; you will then need to make an appointment and bring the physician-completed form with you to your appointment.

Find out more

For the latest on COVID-19 in Marion County, visit www.twitter.com/flhealthmarion, and www.marionflcovid.org.