Members of the public were able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for the first time on Monday as part of a program rolled out by the Department of Health in Lee County to aid those in the “at-risk” category.

Limited doses of the Moderna vaccine is to be administered to residents 65 or older, along with front-line health care workers. According to DOH, 400 people will be vaccinated on select days at various locations on a first-come-first-serve basis throughout the county Dec. 28, 29 and 30.

County officials on Monday morning discussed the county’s plan of action when it comes to distribution of the vaccine.

“I really like to think of (today) as the beginning of the end to this calamity that we’ve all experienced for the last year,” said County Manager Roger Desjarlais. “But it’s going to take a while and we’re going to ask for patience. Even though today is a celebration, we have to remember there are not enough vaccines available for everyone just yet.”

Desjarlais said the distribution schedule is subject to change as “conditions change.” Dates and times for additional vaccines will “hopefully” come later this week, officials said.

“We’re having to ride this bicycle while we build it a little bit,” Desjarlais said. “I think after today we’ll understand a lot more about the necessary logistics and operations that we’ve been working on since (last week).”

Desjarlais understands the demand will be great and asks residents to keep calm and to not arrive at vaccination sites before 8 a.m. He also asked residents to be prepared for long wait times.

“Please don’t,” Desjarlais said of camping out. “We hate to turn people away. We know people are going to be anxious and it’s only going to ramp up as these vaccinations are becoming available.”

Desjarlais said this has been an “unprecedented, all hands on deck” scenario for the county, with nearly every resource available being put to work. He said the best way to stay up-to-date with current scheduling and procedures is keep in-tune with county announcements via their website and social media. Desjarlais said seven other counties throughout Florida were rolling out similar procedures on Monday as well.

“It’s going to be fluid,” he said. “The times, days and hours could change. We will make sure we will keep you updated as often (as we can).”

When it comes to getting the second dose of vaccine, local health officials will work with individuals to set up appointments to receive their second immunization.

Officials said those who get their first dose should not consider themselves “immune” with their behavior.

“We want to remind people if you’re of the (at-risk) age group and you receive your vaccine, people still need to maintain social distancing (and) maintain the behaviors they’ve grown accustom to,” Desjarlais said.

Officials were elated to finally see the day a vaccine was available to local residents come to fruition.

“It’s a great day today. We’re really excited. It’s a celebration,” said Kevin Ruane, Lee County Commissioner for District 1 and Board Chair. “If you look back nine months ago and you really looked at where we were, and where we are today, it’s really a fabulous day as far as I’m concerned — seeing the progress that we’ve made and seeing the way this administration has rolled this out — and I’m just happy to be part of the celebration.”

District 2 Commissioner and Vice Chair Cecil Pendergrass stated, “We all said for the last year going through this pandemic that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and today there is.”

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will be working with city police departments to implement security measures at immunization locations. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said LCSO SkyWatch towers would be present to have an “eye in the sky.”

“Our real-time information center is going to work on anything that comes our way to that leads us to believe that there might be anything we need to look into,” Marceno said. “Safety and security is most important.”

There is no fee for the vaccine, and no appointment is necessary. The public is asked to bring identification and, if you are a healthcare worker, a copy of your ID badge or a current paystub. These are not drive-thru sites; all sites are ADA compliant. To expedite the registration process, visit https://www.leegov.com/vaccine to download, print and complete the consent form prior to visiting one of the vaccination sites. The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose vaccine.

All sites are open from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Vaccination locations include:

Dec. 29: East County Regional Library, 881 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres; Old Bonita Spring Library, 26876 Pine Ave., Bonita Springs; Fort Myers Stars Complex, 2980 Edison Ave., Fort Myers

Dec. 30: North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 N Recreation Pkwy., North Fort Myers; Lakes Regional Library, 15920 Bypass Rd., Fort Myers; Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral

By the Numbers

As of Monday afternoon, there are 1,280,177 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 8,198 since FDOH’s last update Sunday.

Test results reported to the Department of Health on Sunday, Dec. 27 resulted in an 11.08 positivity rate. Positivity rates in new cases have topped 8% in 19 of the last 21 days. Percent positivity rates in new cases have been over 5% since Oct. 29.

The state saw its highest daily percentage of positive patients July 8, when 18.50 percent of tests reported were positive among 51,686 tests.

Of those testing positive, 61,663 Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state.

The death toll increased by 99 from yesterday’s report, bringing the total number of deaths, both resident and non-resident, to 21,613.

According to the state, hospitalizations in Lee County, and statewide in Florida, make up 5 percent of all positive cases. Deaths statewide and in Lee County stand at 2% of positive cases.

On Dec. 27, 974 people were given the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine throughout the state according to FDOH. The total number vaccinated as of Monday throughout Florida was 122,881 with 2,193 being in Lee County.

In Lee County, 39,332 individuals (+329) have tested positive as of Wednesday’s update.

Positive COVID-19 cases in the county have ranged from infants to a 103-year-old. Lee County saw its first two cases on March 7, when a man and a woman, each 77, tested positive. They had traveled to the Dominican Republic.

There have been 652 deaths in Lee County, with no increase from last Tuesday’s report.

As of Monday afternoon, Lee Health had 167 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 93 new admissions and 61 discharges over the weekend.

A total of 3,990 patients who had tested positive have been discharged since the beginning of the pandemic.

Census as of Monday afternoon was at 87% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 13% of those being COVID-19 patients. Staffed operational capacity reflects the number of beds for which the hospital has adequate staffing, not the total number of beds within Lee Health hospitals. Overall bed capacity fluctuates hour to hour as the system discharges patients throughout the day who are ready to go home.

As of Monday, 74% of ventilators and 15% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.

As of Monday, there were seven COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 25 in the intensive care unit.

COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral disease. For most individuals, symptoms are mild. For a minority, the disease becomes a type of viral pneumonia with severe complications. Especially at risk are those who are older, those with underlying health conditions and the immune-compromised.

Officials strongly urge all members of the public who are at risk to remain at home so as to limit exposure. All others are urged to observe social distancing and to wear a mask for all public interactions.

For more detail on Florida resident cases, visit the live DOH Dashboard.

To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control, visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, visit the travel advisory website.

For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

-Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj