WATCH FOX30/CBS47
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — UPDATE 1/1/2021 7:33 p.m. Florida Department of Health accepts St. Johns County Commissioners’ help on COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the community.
ORIGINAL STORY: An Action News Jax investigation has uncovered St. Johns County Commissioners have asked the state to let them help the local health department with COVID-19 vaccinations.
While the rollout was rocky, the county says it can’t step in unless the state health department asks them for help.
Action News Jax broke the news Thursday night when the county sent a letter to the Florida Department of Health detailing citizen complaints about the local vaccine rollout.
Commissioners say they have a plan to speed up the process and should be allowed to step in.
“We have so many citizens that need access to these vaccinations,” St. Johns County Chair of Commissioners Jeremiah Blocker told Action News Jax.
After a day of confusion as hundreds of people lined up for their COVID-19 vaccines at the St. Johns County Health & Human Services Center, county leaders are again offering to help.
RELATED STORY: COVID-19: No appointment necessary for vaccines in St. Johns County
“We just want to make sure all our resources are fully at the disposal of the Department of Health,” Blocker said.
In the letter sent to the state health department, Blocker said, “the County developed a safe and efficient vaccination plan during the past several months and is enthusiastic to fully mobilize it.”
But Blocker says the county can’t do anything about that until the health department officially asks the county for help.
The health department is the lead agency in charge of the vaccination rollout.
In Blocker’s letter, he’s clear that what happened Thursday isn’t good enough.
“It’s not to point blame… we just want to step up and make sure that we’re providing our resources,” he added. “The goal is to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible in the most efficient manner.”
Blocker tells Action News Jax the county is talking with the health department.
He says other counties have stepped up their efforts and are helping their local health departments.
COVID-19 latest: Coronavirus vaccine: County-by-county plan for Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia
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