UF Health Jacksonville among first to receive COVID-19 vaccine
Yesterday, UF Health Jacksonville received a shipment of vaccine doses, with more expected in the coming days and weeks. The vaccine is being administered for free to the first groups of select UF Health faculty and staff based on the criteria the CDC has established, starting with front-line health care workers and staff deemed high priority because they are caring for COVID-19 patients and/or working in areas like the emergency room where they are most likely to encounter an exposure.
Dr. Leon Haley, professor and CEO for UF Health-Jacksonville and dean of the UF College of Medicine in Jacksonville, pictured at right, was the first to receive the vaccine. UF Health Jacksonville is one of five hospitals in Florida that has received the vaccine for initial distribution. UF Health Jacksonville also is working to coordinate distribution to other health care facilities, including UF Health campuses in Gainesville and central Florida.
A ShandsCair van also delivered 4,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines Monday afternoon to UF Health Shands in Gainesville. The first doses will be administered this week to the highest-priority health care workers.
Photo courtesy of Hannah Lee, WOKV News