Hundreds line up for COVID vaccine
More than 850 doses administered at Cape Coral site as DOH-Lee makes free inoculations available
At least 850 individuals were vaccinated in Cape Coral Wednesday at what was the city’s first go at the Department of Health’s COVID-19 immunization rollout.
Hundreds lined up in the early morning hours outside Cultural Park Theater in hope of receiving their first of two free doses of the Moderna vaccine as part of DOH – Lee County’s effort to immunize residents 65 and older, as well as frontline health care workers. City officials as of press time Wednesday said at least 850 vaccines were administered with potentially more to be given if supplies are available.
The “vaccination pod” was made possible in a joint effort by the state, county and local resources. Cape Coral Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Fire Department, Emergency Management staff and traffic division all played a role in the set up and administration process.
Cape Coral Emergency Management Division Manager Alvin Henderson said the parking arrangement with the high-volume turnout went well.
“We had a great lineup (strategy) for parking which made it very easy to have over 300 vehicles parked on site,” Henderson said Wednesday from a staging area at Cultural Park Theater. Overflow vehicles were lined neatly along back streets and tidily funneled into the parking area as spaces became available.
Henderson said getting individuals into the theater to receive their vaccination also was handled in an efficient manner.
“Plus, with all of the line cues, it made it very easy for all of the people — over 650 to 750 people lined up throughout the night here — it was very easy for them to get into line and maintain social distancing.”
Those in line were guided into the lobby of the theater where they were vaccinated and then socially distanced in the theater for observation for a short time after. DOH spokesperson Tammy Yzaguirre said some issues were to be had inside of the theater but were quickly sorted, as some vaccination administration tables and waiting areas were moved outdoors to better space individuals.
For the required second dose of vaccine, local health officials will work with individuals to set up appointments.
Cape Coral Mayor Joe Coviello was on site Wednesday and was pleased with what he saw and how the city implemented its strategies.
“Our goal was to find a viable facility for the Department of Health and county to administer their vaccinations, and our staff, our city manager, our fire chief, police department, our volunteers from CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) did an excellent job,” he said.
Coviello said water was provided for those in line who needed a refresher and individuals with handicaps were accommodated to make their experience easier.
Both Coviello and Henderson are hopeful to continue to offer the vaccine to Cape residents.
“We’re extremely excited about being able to offer this to our community here locally within our city,” Henderson said. “We hope to have additional vaccines given here within the next coming weeks.”
Coviello said he hopes to be able to have events such as Wednesday’s up to four times a week in the city and is looking at other locations such as Sun Splash Family Waterpark to be able to safely accommodate as many as possible.
“We want to be able to vaccinate as many people as we can,” Coviello said, adding county officials are “hoping to have a reservation or appointment system set up by early next week.”
Henderson reminded the public to continue to be vigilant in their day-to-day practices while the virus continues to be present in the region.
“It’s also important not to forget, you still have to maintain social distancing and wear a mask,” he said. “Stay healthy Cape Coral.”
Cultural Park Theater was one of three vaccination sites in Lee County Wednesday.
The joint inoculation initiative began Monday with the amount of vaccine available at each site edging upward each day with the process expected to evolve as more vaccine does become available. Yzaguirre said the number of vaccinations available fluctuates in real time and dependent on demand, amount of supply, and available staff to administer.
“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 at a press conference on Monday. “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 reiterated that the distribution schedule is subject to change as “conditions change.”
“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).”
The county will provide announcements via its website and on social media.
Lee Health, which began inoculating its employees last week, kicked it up a notch as more doses have become available.
“As of today, we’ve received about 10,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines,” Lee Health President and CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said Tuesday. “We are ramping up vaccination as quickly as possible, with the goal of immunizing as many as 1,000 employees and physicians each day. As additional doses of the vaccine are received, we will expand immunization to other healthcare workers and work with the Department of Health to provide vaccines to the community.”
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.
New COVID testing site in Cape Coral
The city of Cape Coral, in partnership with Curative, has announced a new no cost COVID-19 testing walk-up kiosk will begin operating on Jan. 4 at 1020 Cultural Park Blvd. (the parking lot across the street from City Hall). Patients will be able to schedule appointments starting Jan. 2.
“Curative is proud to be a crucial resource for the Cape Coral community during this pandemic,” said Fred Turner, CEO and co-founder of Curative, in a release. “Curative’s goal is to make testing more accessible with our easy walk-up kiosk. Our unique, self-collected oral fluid swab COVID-19 PCR test offers a painless, simple option with quick 24 to 48-hour results upon receipt at our labs and no cost to patients.”
Curative offers oral-fluid swab testing rather than the conventional nose swab. According to Curative, the observed and directed self-collected oral fluid swab involves having the person cough first, which releases virus from the upper and lower respiratory tract. The virus is then caught in the saliva. The patient then swabs the inside of their cheeks and the roofs of their mouths. Once complete, the patient seals their test within a secure container and returns it to a medical professional to be administered in the lab. The entire Curative test is done without having to come into close contact with others, therefore eliminating the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) changes.
“Curative is currently contracted to provide service at the CenturyLink Field testing site and has proven to be an efficient and reliable community partner. We are grateful to be able to work with them to offer additional testing opportunities for the community,” said Cape Coral Fire Chief Ryan W. Lamb in the release. “It will take time before the vaccine is widely available and testing remains an important means of controlling the spread of the virus.”
Testing will be available by walk-up or appointment at 1020 Cultural Park Blvd. Appointments can be scheduled at www.curative.com. Information can also be found on Cape Coral’s COVID-19 website, www.capecoral.net/ covid-19 and at www.capecoralfire.com.
By the Numbers
As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 1,306,123 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 13,871 since FDOH’s last update Tuesday.
Test results reported to the Department of Health on Tuesday, Dec. 29 resulted in an 8.72% positivity rate among 180,183 tests.
The state saw its highest daily percentage of positive patients on Dec. 29 when 22.75% percent of tests reported were positive among 62,303 tests.
Positivity rates in new cases have topped 8% in 21 of the last 23 days. Percent positivity rates in new cases have been over 5% since Oct. 29.
Of those testing positive, 62,508 Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state.
The death toll increased by 139 from Tuesday’s report, bringing the total number of deaths, both resident and non-resident, to 21,857.
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 Wednesday throughout Florida was 175,465 with 4,093 being in Lee County.
In Lee County, 40,169 individuals (+490) 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 673 deaths in Lee County, an increase of 20 from yesterday’s report.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Lee Health had 173 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 29 new admissions and 28 discharges since Tuesday.
A total of 4,040 patients who had tested positive have been discharged since the beginning of the pandemic.
On Tuesday, Lee Health had a 32.2% positivity rate on COVID-19 tests processed through Lee Health Labs. This represents Lee Health results only, not Lee County as a whole. Hospital positivity rates tend to be higher as the tests are performed on patients seeking treatment for a health issue, not the general public that includes asymptomatic individuals.
Census as of Wednesday afternoon was at 95% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 12.5% 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 Wednesday, 70% of ventilators and 11% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.
As of Wednesday, there were 10 (+1) COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 34 (+4) 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