More than 5,000 flock to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for first day of major COVID-19 vaccination drive
An audacious push to vaccinate 20,000 people in Alachua County a week for six weeks got off to a roaring start Monday when more than 5,200 received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. On the first day anyone over age 16 in Florida became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, a steady stream of UF students, faculty, staff and other Alachua County residents flowed through the Champion’s Club.
“It’s an iconic location for something that’s truly historic,” said Michael Lauzardo, M.D., MSc., deputy director of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute and director of the UF Health Screen, Test & Protect program. “It’s a very big deal.”
Flu shots still available as well
As Ron Berry, M.D., director of the UF Student Health Care Center shared in a message last semester, the importance of getting your flu shot may be getting lost in the sea of news and information about COVID-19. Flu season in Gainesville can extend well into the spring and summer semesters, so it’s not too late to get vaccinated. Getting a flu shot is one way to help take care of yourself and protect your family and friends as well as our greater UF community. To schedule an appointment at the Student Health Care Center, please call (352) 392-1161.