Florida hospitals are overwhelmed at the start of vaccination for those over 65

#Tens of thousands of people do #Long lines and saturate the phone lines of hospitals to reserve a vaccination shift against covid-19, since the campaign began this week coronavirus vaccination of those over 65 in #Florida, the state with the highest proportion of retirees in the #United #States.

#Since #Monday, when the local government gave the green light to vaccinations for those over 65 – who represent about 20% (more than 4 million) of the population – television images show long lines in front of hospitals that They started the process, mainly to book an appointment.

#Jackson #Health #System, #Miami’s largest hospital system, announced #Tuesday that it hoped to vaccinate 10,000 of its patients over 65 as of this week, in addition to those most at risk if they contract the virus.

#Although for a good part of the general public of this age the campaign will begin on #Monday, The mass vaccination program started this #Wednesday with the inoculation of the 67-year-old music producer #Emilio #Estefan, and #Miami #Dolphins legend #Nat #Moore, 69. “I think there is a lot of misinformation,” #Estefan said at a #Jackson #Health news conference, defending the vaccine from those who distrust its efficacy. “#People need to know that we cannot take risks,” added the #Cuban-American producer, an icon of the “magic city.”

#North of #Miami, in the #Fort #Lauderdale area, #Broward #Health #Hospital received so many phone calls that its authorities announced that they will no longer have hours available until #February.

The website of the #Department of #Health aimed at reserving vaccination times in #Broward #County, #South #Florida, has been inoperative since #Wednesday afternoon. “#Sorry,” he says. “#This site was closed for maintenance.”

#Meanwhile, in the center of the state, #Orange #County – where it is #Orlando– announced #Tuesday in a statement that in the 24 hours since #Monday some 30,000 people had scheduled appointments. #With this, he added, the city reached the limit of its vaccination capacity until further notice.

– #Limited supply –

#Governor #Ron #DeSantis called for patience at a conference #Wednesday in a #Palm #Beach retirement neighborhood. “The supply of the covid vaccine is limited,” he said. “#We don’t have enough vaccines available for the more than 4 million people over the age of 65. #We’ll get there”.

#But, after almost a year of confinement, especially for the elderly and the most vulnerable, the wait is long. “I can’t wait to see my grandchildren. I can’t wait to hug them. #It’s been a long time, ”#Candice #Seltzer, a retiree who had just been vaccinated, told CNN.

#More than 175,000 people have been vaccinated in #Florida, according to the #Department of #Health.

The state expects the arrival this week of 127,000 new doses of #Moderna’s vaccine, while the escalation of infections continues, with 13,871 new cases confirmed this #Wednesday, the highest number since the summer.

#Since the vaccines began to be distributed on #December 14, the first to be inoculated were health workers and residents and employees of nursing homes.

#Florida reached 1.3 million cases of coronavirus and a total of 21,546 deaths this #Wednesday, at a time when it registers figures similar to those reported at its worst moment of the pandemic in #July.

#Historically, #Florida has the highest proportion of elderly people in the country because #Americans tend to retire to this subtropical state attracted by its beaches and warm climate.

There are currently 6,337 people hospitalized in #Florida with a diagnosis of covid-19 and an availability of places in intensive care units of 17.78%.

(#With information from AFP and EFE)

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