5,500 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Received In Polk County

POLK COUNTY, FL — Polk County Department of Health received 5,500 COVID-19 vaccines Tuesday that it will distribute across the county with its vaccination partners, a news release said.

Vaccination partners, including Lakeland Regional Health, BayCare and Polk County Board of County Commissioners, will be assisting DOH-Polk in administering its recent vaccine supply over the next week. DOH-Polk will be dispersing portions of its supplies to each of the hospitals to assist with vaccinations. As more vaccine becomes available, DOH-Polk hopes to expand its vaccination partners to different entities including pharmacies, drug stores and primary care providers.

"I am grateful for our community vaccination partners and their assistance in helping us administer COVID-19 vaccine to our communities," Dr. Joy Jackson, director of the Florida Department of health in Polk County said. "This is a community effort, and we are pleased to be able to distribute vaccine more quickly through these partnerships."

Vaccinations this week will be conducted by appointment only. Lakeland Regional Health and BayCare will assist DOH-Polk in vaccinating those who are on Polk's vaccine registration list. The registration list includes individuals who have called into Polk County's COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline or registered through the online portal.

Those who are 65 and older and who wish to receive the COVID-19 may register through Polk's County's vaccine portal which can be found at https://register.polk.health/. Users can create an account and upload their personal information for a future appointment. Polk County's COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline also remains open.

Residents who prefer to register by phone, can still call (863) 298-7500 for assistance. The center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Additional weekend hours have also been added for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

This article originally appeared on the Lakeland Patch