Local health officials announced Monday that for the foreseeable future, individuals can receive a COVID-19 vaccine without having to schedule an appointment.

Lee Health’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Gulf Coast Medical Center is “permanently continuing walk-in vaccine availability for the community.”

Free vaccines can be obtained Tuesday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Fort Myers location.

“At Lee Health, we are committed to making sure anyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccine can get one, and that’s why we continue to expand availability and increase access of the vaccine through our community clinic,” said Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and chief executive officer of Lee Health in a release. “We urge everyone who is able to get their COVID-19 vaccine to do so as soon as possible.”

Lee Health is now offering the opportunity for all patients 18 and older to choose which COVID-19 vaccine they receive, based on current availability. Lee Health currently has Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines immediately available for anyone wishing to get vaccinated.

Those aged 12-17 are still only able to receive the Pfizer vaccine and must have a parent with them when they receive their vaccination.

To receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the clinic, go to the main entrance of Gulf Coast Medical Center and check-in at the front desk. Officials ask individuals to bring personal identification and insurance card (if possessed). A mask is required to enter any Lee Health facility.

Lee Health’s vaccine clinic will also be open on Saturday, May 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Gulf Coast Medical Center is at 13681 Doctors Way in Fort Myers.

Appointments can still be made online at www.leehealth.org.

By the Numbers

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 2,311,941 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 1,874 since FDOH’s last update Monday.

Test results reported to the Department of Health on Monday, May 24 resulted in a 3.75% positivity rate among 49,857 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.

The average positivity rate in new cases over the last week is 4.04% (4.97 percent average the week before).

Of those testing positive, 94,176 Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state.

The death toll increased by 81 from Monday’s report, bringing the total number of deaths, both resident and non-resident, to 37,316.

According to the state, hospitalizations in Lee County make up 3% of all positive cases. At the state level, 4% of all positive cases result in hospitalization. The percentage of deaths statewide account for 2% of all cases and, in Lee County, stand at 1% of positive cases.

The total number of persons vaccinated as of Tuesday throughout Florida was 10,075,311 with 359,689 being in Lee County. According to the state, 8,038,941 individuals have their vaccine series completed, 295,414 of those being in Lee County.

In Lee County, 73,199 individuals (+51) have tested positive as of Tuesday’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 1,005 deaths in Lee County, an increase of 10 since Monday’s report.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Lee Health had 95 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 11 new admissions and 18 discharges since Monday. Over the weekend, Lee Health saw 35 new COVID-19 admissions and 31 discharges.

On Monday, Lee Health had a 14.3% 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.

A total of 6,271 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from Lee Health facilities since the beginning of the pandemic.

Census as of Tuesday afternoon was at 93% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 7% 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 Tuesday, 72% of ventilators and 23% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.

As of Tuesday, there were five COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 17 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.