GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — As counties across northeast Florida continue the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Clay County leaders told the community on Sunday what it can expect in the coming days.
On Monday at 9 a.m., Clay County will begin vaccinating 200 people at the Godbold Center.
Leaders said they’ll be doing 200 vaccines a day all week. But they want the community to know it’s by appointment only, and all the appointments are booked through Jan. 20.
“Oh, gosh. We’re very anxious to get the vaccine and to move forward with our lives,” said Jim and Norma Layton, who will get their COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.
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They’re among the first 1,000 residents in Clay County to get the shot.
Volunteering and playing in a music band are some of their favorite activities.
They had to put all that on hold when the pandemic hit, but they’re hopeful that getting the vaccine will be a step toward returning to normalcy.
Clay County Director of Emergency Management John Ward laid out the county’s vaccination plan on Sunday evening.
“We do about 200 doses a day. So as we get more in, we can open up additional days for that,” Ward said.
“Right now, I feel like we’ve won the lottery,” Norma Layton told Action News Jax.
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The second doses will begin Jan 25, county leaders said.
And after that, they’ll up the doses to 400 a day. Half of the doses will be first-time shots, and the other half will be second-time shots.
“I’m almost a bit surprised being a smaller county and not having as many resources as some of the larger areas in Florida,” Norma Layton said of the county’s vaccination plan.
The Clay County Health Department reported it’s expecting more doses to come this week.
“We will add additional days based on the number of doses that we have,” Heather Huffman with the Clay County Department of Health said.
As for the Laytons, they hope everyone will make getting the vaccine a priority.
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“I’m just hopeful that everyone that’s able will take advantage of this vaccine,” Norma Layton said.
County leaders added that more places like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Publix will also begin administering the vaccine soon.