Seniors still waiting for vaccine nervous as eligibility expands

Vaccine expansion for some causes confusion for others

An executive by Gov. Ron DeSantis has expanded vaccine opportunities for the medically vulnerable and first responders over the age of 50. It has also created some confusion for those over age 65 who are not yet vaccinated.

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - Some seniors who still haven’t received their COVID-19 vaccine are worried after Governor Ron DeSantis expanded eligibility.

JoEllen Ebaugh, of Brevard County, is 69 years old and diabetic. She said she tries everything possible to get an appointment.

"CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, we’ve tried them all," she said.

She said the governor’s announcement Friday makes her nervous she’ll have a smaller chance at getting a slot.

"If you can’t vaccine the ones that are still waiting, why would you add more to the pot?" she said.

Monday, the governor said the state has made significant progress in vaccinating seniors across the state. 

He noted last week’s shipment delays due to weather, but he said it should get easier each day to get an appointment. 

As eligibility opened up, Flagler County is asking seniors who still haven’t gotten an appointment to re-register.

Emergency manager Jonathan Lorde said he worries some people got lost in the mix after the county handed over a list of 12,000 people to the state’s registration system.

"We also know that the list was made by human data entry and sometimes numbers were transposed and names were spelled wrong," he said.

He also urged people still waiting to keep a close eye on their phones.

"We also want to take the time to encourage our residents who are 65 and older to pick up that phone if you registered. Otherwise, the state will have to move on to that next person," he said.