Federal COVID-19 vaccine site opens in Orlando on Wednesday
ORLANDO, Fla. - The federal mass vaccination site at Valencia College West is now open for business.
People waited in their cars hours before the site opened. One woman told FOX 35 she got there at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
"At that time, we were number 11 car," Maria Roman in Orlando said.
The vaccination site encourages appointments, but walk-ups are accepted.
Roman said since walk-ups are accepted it’s a good opportunity for someone who hasn’t been able to get a vaccine appointment to get a shot.
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"I think that’s great for people," Roman said. "Because we are 70 and many people our age don’t know how to play with the internet or they don’t know how to manage and they have to be calling places. It takes forever."
Mother Nature didn't make it any easier for early birds waiting to get the shot.
"Waiting in the downpours," Herro Blair of Pine Hills said. "It was really pouring here heavily today."
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Some people said the rain made things a little difficult at first.
"There were some hiccups in the start of this morning, but like I said, it ticked like a clock after they worked out everything," Blair said.
The vaccination site is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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In addition to the site at Valencia, there are two satellite sites that will be run each day in underserved neighborhoods. Those sites are located at:
Engelwood Neighborhood Center
6123 La Costa Dr., Orlando
Offering appointments March 3-7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- Walk-ins welcome
Kelly Park
400 E. Kelly Park Rd., Apopka
Offering appointments March 7-10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- Walk-ins welcome
President Biden says the country is halfway to its goal of vaccinating 100,000,000 people in his first 100 days. The president says every person who wants a vaccine should be able to get one by the end of May.
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