An emergency room doctor at UF Health said the hospital saw a surge in patients over the Christmas holiday as a severe flu season and common colds drove higher volumes, especially among children.

The former Florida surgeon general said the state will be vulnerable to preventable diseases if the vaccine mandate ends.

A measles outbreak at a South Florida elementary school has health officials warning of a rise in cases.

Every year, a new flu shot is created based on different factors, like which types of the virus are expected to be the most common. But, that could change in the future.

There is a wave of COVID-19 spreading right now, and some people are getting it for the first time.

Researchers at the Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research announced that they are starting a new clinical trial for people who can’t receive the COVID vaccine because of a weakened immune system.

How often should Americans get their booster shot against COVID-19, and how important is the booster to you if you’ve already been infected with COVID-19? Those are questions a panel of experts set out to answer during an FDA meeting, the information will be passed on to the CDC.

The #FluVaxJax campaign officially launched Wednesday for the third year to rally the community together to get as many people as possible protected from a severe or life-threatening case of the flu.

The trials began Thursday and are expected to finish within the next few days.

The number of cases of monkeypox is growing in the United States. As of August 1, there are more than 5,000 cases in the U.S.

The Florida Department of Health is hosting a free vaccine drive at the Clay County fairgrounds starting Monday.

Health officials are taking more steps to slow the spread of monkeypox. They're now making a vaccine available to more people who could be at risk.

One Jacksonville woman who lost her godmother last holiday season to COVID-19 complications… is now reminding others to stay safe.

The omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading, and infectious disease experts say it won't be long before it's detected in the Jacksonville area.

Jacksonville NFL Alumni is inviting fans to take advantage of on-site COVID-19 vaccinates and flu shots at TIAA Bank field before the Jaguars take on the bills.

Ascension St. Vincent's is changing its COVID-19 vaccine policy, allowing unvaccinated employees, who were suspended, to return to work.

Florida lawmakers are moving quickly to ban vaccines and mask mandates for employees and students.

Local pharmacies will begin vaccinating young children against COVID-19 this weekend.

28 million eligible children are one step closer to being able to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA has approved Pfizer's vaccine for kids 5-11.

The Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19 could receive federal approval for kids ages five to 11 years old in early November.

Now there is even more evidence that shows COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe.

Some animals at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will be getting their COVID-19 vaccinations soon.

It’s been one year since Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Chris Cunningham died from COVID-19 while on the job. At the time, vaccines were not available.

Disney Cruise Line on Tuesday said it's soon planning to require COVID-19 vaccinations for most passengers 12 or older who are traveling to the Bahamas.

Now that the Pfizer vaccine has full FDA approval, does this change your mind about getting vaccinated?

The U.S. could soon hit more than 200,000 new coronavirus cases per day. That’s the latest from the National Institutes of Health.

Florida Blue nurses and Walgreens pharmacists will be administering the vaccines and answering any questions people may have.

As the start of school inches closer for kids in the area, some parents are making their children get vaccinated before going back to school.

Seventy percent of adults in the U.S. have now had at least one vaccine dose, the White House announced Monday.

The Morning show sat down with Dr. Saman Soleymani with Avecina Medical Urgent Care to ask him questions about the delta variant surge, vaccines, and the future of the pandemic.

Dr. Daniel Thimann answers your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all the federal agency’s health care personnel and is imposing a two-month deadline for those employees to get vaccinated.

Children under 12 won’t be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine until mid-winter, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

With the Delta variant becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the U.S., an epidemiologist told News4Jax on Monday there is concern that the spread of the virus is going unnoticed.

If you received your COVID-19 vaccine, you likely knew about what to expect in terms of side effects: Perhaps a mild headache, chills or body aches, a slight fever, a sore arm or maybe a bit of fatigue.

Residents in Baker County say they are still hesitant on the COVID-19 vaccine and won't be taking the shot. Over 6,600 people in Baker County are already vaccinated.

Federal public health experts are set to hold an emergency meeting next week to address a possible link between COVID-19 vaccines and a rare heart condition among teens and young adults.

UF Health Jacksonville will begin giving children under the age of 2 years old Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, as part of the company’s clinical trials, according to Pediatric Epidemiologist Dr. Mobeen Rathore.

Got questions about the COVID-19 vaccine? We can help.

Thanks to the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine, life is beginning to return to some pre-pandemic normalcy. Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 through 15. The FDA previously gave this vaccine emergency use authorization for people age 16 and older.

The CDC is putting out a warning about possible heart issues arising in vaccinated teenagers. The number of cases at this point was described as relatively few by the CDC’s advisory group on immunization practices.

Another group of Americans is now eligible to receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 Vaccine and Health Fair starts at the Master’s Touch Ministry in Northwest Jacksonville, at 9 a.m. on Soutel Drive.

Do you plan on getting your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine?

Public health officials in Florida say the Johnson and Johnson vaccine could return to federally-supported sites as early as this weekend, if a federal panel decides to resume the use of the single-dose vaccine.

A homecoming was held for U.S. Navy Surgeon General Bruce Gillingham, who visited the Gateway vaccination clinic Thursday morning.

With the COVID-19 shot becoming widely available throughout the state, Floridians can now get rides to and from their vaccine appointments if they’re covered by Florida Blue.

Floridians ages 16 and up can now sign up for a one-time opportunity to get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Flagler County, the county announced Thursday.

State officials have not confirmed whether a failed batch of Johnson & Johnson vaccines is the reason behind the state receiving fewer doses.

The Georgia Department of Public Health’s Coastal Health District will provide the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at vaccination events this month in Liberty and Camden counties.

Starting Monday, Floridians ages 16 and 17 will be eligible to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which is the only vaccine authorized for those under 18.

The Clay County Fair has more to offer than just rides, food and shows.

Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, announced updated results Thursday from their ongoing late-stage study of more than 44,000 volunteers.

There was a common theme among people lined up Thursday outside the Brentwood Library, which hosted a pop-up clinic to give out doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Jacksonville, Fla. – Airlines and others in the travel industry are throwing support behind vaccine passports hoping to boost pandemic-depressed travel. “Any program that differentiates between people that are vaccinated versus people that are not is only as fair as vaccine distribution itself. “The World Health Organization did release some guidance, but they can’t actually mandate compliance especially for private companies,” Asi said. It could begin a vaccine passport program by May, but Asi said the state might not need one by then. “And my hope is that we’ll have reached herd immunity by that time so these passports will be obsolete anyway.”

Can I take painkillers before or after a COVID-19 vaccine? The concern about painkillers is that they might curb the very immune system response that a vaccine aims to spur. AdThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its guidance to recommend against painkillers before a COVID-19 shot. Read more here:What should I know about COVID-19 vaccines if I’m pregnant? How do we know the COVID-19 vaccines are safe?

In this photo released by Executive Yuan, Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang receives a shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine at National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, March 22, 2021. Health care workers received the first shots in Taiwan's COVID-19 vaccination drive Monday, beginning a campaign that won't use supplies from China amid uneven distribution of the vaccines globally. Taiwan has on hand 117,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which it is distributing to healthcare workers across 57 hospitals. Last week, more than a dozen nations suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after a few dozen people among the millions who've received the vaccine developed blood clots. AdTaiwan has signed contracts securing 10 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, 5.05 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, and 4.76 million doses of vaccines through COVAX.

Panama Pharmacy will be receiving 2,000 doses of the Pfizer Vaccine tomorrow morning. The first time, Panama Pharmacy received 400 vaccine doses. Kevin Duane, the owner of Panama Pharmacy, said health department officials reached out to him on Friday, saying they had an allotment of the Pfizer vaccine. Duane said the first time Panama Pharmacy received vaccines was in January. Duane said people in the Panama Park area trust the Panama Pharmacy, so he’s hoping vaccine numbers will go up.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Local and state pastors came together Friday to educate and encourage communities that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to get the vaccine. “My friends, this virus has not taken a vacation, even in our own great state of Florida,” Holmes said. Ad“We’ve been meeting with community leaders, churches and politicians trying to get the word out,” said Ron Beesley, incident commander at the Gateway vaccination site. “We see a shift in our demographic, a positive movement on that part. But we are still seeing there is a lot of misinformation out there.”Since March 3, the five state and federal sites in Jacksonville have administered about 60% of the doses available between them, on average, each day.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – State officials announced Thursday morning that the three FEMA-sponsored sites in Jacksonville, which includes Gateway Mall and two satellite sites, hit a milestone. Other data from Wednesday show:The satellite site at Oceanway Community Center can vaccinate 500 shots per day. The state vaccine site at Regency Mall has a capacity of 2,000 per day. The FEMA-sponsored site at the Gateway Mall in Jacksonville stopped accepting patients Thursday afternoon as a squall line of storms approached the area. AdThe Florida Emergency Management Division said the two satellite sites at Oceanway and Carver closed and would reopen Friday morning at 9 a.m.------The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Pharmacist Rajan Shah prepares a syringe of the AstraZeneca vaccine at St John's Church, in Ealing, London, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. “We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19 with its associated risk of hospitalization and death outweigh the risk of the side effects,” said Emer Cooke, the head of the agency. AdThe AstraZeneca shot has already struggled to gain public trust after troubles with reporting of its data and concerns about its effectiveness in older people. In addition to the EMA, AstraZeneca and the WHO have said there is no evidence the vaccine carries an increased risk of blood clots. AdStill, the torrent of decisions casting doubt on the AstraZeneca vaccine despite assurances of experts is testing public opinion.

(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)UNITED NATIONS -- China’s U.N. ambassador says China is donating 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to U.N. peacekeepers, with priority given to those serving in Africa. ___OSAKA, Japan — Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is the latest drugmaker to offer help with production of a rival’s COVID-19 vaccine as their industry works to churn out billions of vaccine doses. Ad___LISBON, Portugal — Portugal is following other European Union countries and temporarily halting use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine while experts review its safety. The Biden administration has informed Connecticut that it should be receiving a “significant” increase in vaccine doses over the next several weeks. Some 2.2 million of the 8.6 million vaccine doses of various brands delivered to Italy are AstraZeneca vaccines, so the temporary stoppage is likely to significantly hamper Italy’s current vaccine rollout.

He says he’s ready to get the shot and wants to make sure his community can. Khawaja Seviqi, or Hashmat, says he wants his community in Jacksonville to move past the pandemic by rolling up his sleeve. But he says his community and other minorities have been left out of the picture when it comes to getting the vaccine. Ad“Some of the concerns that we have been hearing, the question is ‘will my citizenship status affect my ability to give the vaccine?’” said Alawee. Alawee said it takes all of us to make sure every community is included.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Starting this week, Publix will prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for teachers, school staff, and child- and family-care providers, the Florida-based grocer announced Monday. The grocery chain, which just received its first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, is shifting its focus to vaccinating people who work in education and related fields as part of the effort to expand and streamline vaccine access through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Beginning on Wednesday, educators and child-care providers can schedule appointments to get their vaccines at participating Publix Pharmacy locations in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. To make sure those eligible to receive their shots get their choice of vaccines, Publix is making every Wednesday a scheduling window for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Appointments can only be made online through the Publix vaccine reservation system, not by calling your local Publix or Publix Pharmacy.

After state emergency management officials acknowledged that school personnel were eligible to get vaccinated at federal clinics in Jacksonville, among other major cities, college professors and staff still weren’t clear if the order included them. While the state has yet to provide a clear answer to that question, college instructors were not turned away from a COVID-19 shot Friday at the federal vaccine clinic in Jacksonville. Unlike Florida’s executive order, the federal directive does not single out K-12 educators as the only group eligible to get the vaccine. Tara Jackson, a 50-year-old literacy specialist for the school district, said her colleagues were excited to learn there was one location where all school personnel could go to be vaccinated. During a news conference Friday, the governor said he has no intention of making other professions eligible for the vaccine in his order.

“Because of the federal directive, this site at Gateway will take teachers, school workers, early childhood, pre-K, of all ages at this site,” said Kevin Guthrie, deputy director/SERT Chief. “So, again, pre-K through K-12, Head Start programs, child care centers, day care centers, and so on -- that site, the federal site, will do that. It is a federal site, and they are complying with the federal directive.”AdCVS, Walmart and Publix are also vaccinating teachers of any age at pharmacies around the state, citing the federal guidelines. AdHundreds of people got shots at the new site in the parking lot of the Jacksonville mall on Norwood Avenue just off Interstate 95. AdThe Gateway Mall site is expected to be active for at least 60 days, although the satellite sites are expected to relocate every seven to 10 days.

Hundreds of people got shots at the new site in the parking lot of the mall on Norwood Avenue just off Interstate 95. Once you get the vaccine, they have you sit six feet apart.”All day, people could walk right in. This will be the best place.”The new site is federally run and supported by FEMA and the military. AdPeople are encouraged to register for the shots online (myvaccine.fl.gov) or by phone (866-200-3762), but it’s not necessary. The Gateway site is expected to be active for at least 60 days, although the satellite sites are expected to relocate every seven to 10 days.

European plane maker Airbus lost 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) amid an unprecedented global slump in air travel because of the pandemic, but expects to deliver hundreds of planes and make a profit this year. (AP Photo/ Francois Mori, File)PARIS – European plane maker Airbus lost 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) last year amid an unprecedented global slump in air travel because of the pandemic, but expects to deliver hundreds of planes and make a profit in 2021 despite uncertainty about when people will resume flying en masse. The dispute has led to billions of dollars in tit-for-tat cross-Atlantic tariffs on planes, cheese, wine, video games and other products. Airbus sales were down to 49.9 billion euros from 70 billion euros the year before. Airbus delivered 566 aircraft last year and expects to deliver about the same number this year, the company said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Walmart locations in Jacksonville start offering COVID-19 vaccines, public transportation officials are working to adjust routes to make sure people can get to their appointments. Since mid-January, the state-run vaccination clinic at Regency Square Mall has been the primary vaccination site in Duval County. A bus stop was also added to the front of the vaccination site. AdAccording to JTA, 211 people have used the routes to get to the state-run vaccination site and 20 people used JTA services to get to the pop-up site on the Northside of Jacksonville last week. If you need transportation to a vaccination site, visit health.jtafla.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – 18 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Jacksonville will begin administering doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to shoppers on Friday morning. Governor Ron DeSantis said 119 Walmart stores across 34 Florida counties that will offer the shot to seniors. -16 Walmart & 2 Sam’s stores in Duval-One Walmart in Baker, Clay, Colombia, Bradford & Putnam. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/BlWfvsRooY — Brittany Muller (@BrittMullerNews) February 12, 2021150 million customers and members passing thru the doors of Walmart and Sam’s Club each week. Walmart and Sam’s are getting 25,000 doses of the vaccine from the federal pharmacy program.

A nurse holds a dose of AstraZeneca vaccine before administering it to a tourist resort employee north of Port Louis, Mauritius, Wednesday Feb. 10, 2021. That approval could come after separate WHO group meetings on Friday and Monday to assess whether an emergency-use listing for the AstraZeneca vaccine is warranted. AdCravioto said the AstraZeneca vaccine should be used in older age groups despite the lack of solid data, similar to advice from the EMA and Britain. The expert group noted that “preliminary analyses” showed the AstraZeneca vaccine had a reduced effectiveness against coronavirus variants that have emerged in Britain and South Africa. “Therefore, it is good to see the WHO recommend the use of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine in all ages groups, including older populations,” he said in a statement.

Walmart stores in Baker County, Bradford County, Clay County and Columbia County will also offer the vaccine, according to the governor. DeSantis said expanding vaccination efforts to Walmart stores across the state will help address some of the inequality issues raised by critics. The federal pharmacy program will also get more doses to Publix stores across the state. There’ll be six Publix in Clay County, and they’ll also be one in Columbia County,” DeSantis said. About 42% of all seniors in Duval County have received at least one vaccine shot, DeSantis said, which is better than the state average.

Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced that 18 Walmart stores in Jacksonville will begin administering doses of the COVID-19 vaccine starting Friday. DeSantis, who was joined by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry at the Walmart Supercenter on Atlantic Boulevard, said there will be 119 Walmart stores across 34 Florida counties that will offer the COVID-19 vaccine for senior citizens. Walmart stores in Baker County, Bradford County, Clay County and Columbia County will also offer the vaccine, according to the governor. DeSantis said expanding vaccination efforts to Walmart stores across the state will help address some of the inequality issues raised by critics. There’ll be six Publix in Clay County, and they’ll also be one in Columbia County,” DeSantis said.

“People are calling my office desperate, yelling, screaming,” State Sen. Lori Berman said. Based on the last reported numbers, there were more than 40,000 Floridians classified as being overdue for their second shot. To the dismay of some lawmakers, the health department decided Wednesday to stop publishing those statistics. “No one is overdue for their second dose, but rather, will be eligible for their second dose,” he said. “So that we can provide clarity and comfort and answers to Floridians that are waiting their turn,” Eskamani said.

In the last week, we saw thousands of people in our area get the COVID-19 vaccine, despite a rising number of cases of the virus. Do you remember when the state hit 1 million cases on Dec. 1? Just over 11,000 new cases were reported Sunday, but Florida also surpassed a million people vaccinated on Sunday. With nearly 75,000 cases in Duval, and over 50,000 people vaccinated, the percent positivity for new cases is at 9.3%. Some people asked why you’re doing some of the counties you’re doing; there’s some counties that have really big health infrastructure, Orlando, Jacksonville, has big infrastructure, a lot of hospitals.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla – It’s been a full week of vaccinations at the Mandarin and Lane Wiley Senior Centers and the shots continued Saturday. The Mandarin and Lane Wiley Senior Centers are open Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. or until they run out of shots for the day. (City of Jacksonville)The city says the Lane Wiley and Mandarin Senior Centers have reached capacity every day this week so far. “I just think you don’t know what to expect until you come out here.”By 7am, parking lot at Mandarin Senior Center was completely full. Over on the Westside at the Lane Wiley Senior Center, hundreds more were lined up hours before opening.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As COVID-19 vaccines continue to roll out in communities across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, some doctors feel more could be done to serve more people. Right now, limited numbers of vaccines are available through health departments and major hospitals, but locally owned family practice clinics have so far been sidelined in the nationwide vaccination effort. “We need to get these vaccines into the primary care offices,” said Charles Warren, D.O., the medical director for Family Care Partners, an independent chain of doctors’ offices in our area. While they don’t know exactly when or how they’ll be empowered to vaccinate patients and staff, Perez-Trepichio says his teams are getting ready. News4Jax reached out to the Florida Department of Health for details about when and how local physicians could have access to the vaccines for their patients.

Dr. Elizabeth Ransom, executive vice president and chief physician executive at Baptist Health, sets the record straight on rumors circulating about the COVID-19 vaccine. MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine contains harmful ingredients. The names of COVID-19 vaccine components may not roll off the tongue easily, but that’s no reason to fear they might be harmful. MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine is too expensive. For more information about COVID-19 vaccines as they become more widely available to the public, visit baptistjax.com/covid19vaccine.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said teachers and school staff should not expect to be prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine, saying people 65 and older come first. “This is based on data, and if you look at the COVID mortality, 65 and up represents over 80 percent of the COVID related mortality in our country and our state. Educators 65 and older and school employees in medically vulnerable populations can get the vaccine, but the state’s largest association for teachers is calling for signatures for a petition to tell the governor to ensure all educators get priority. “The CDC recommends that educators should have access to the COVID19 vaccine ASAP, but Governor Ron DeSantis has decided to ignore the CDC priority list, choosing to play politics instead. Tell the governor to ensure educators have access to the COVID vaccine.” the Florida Education Association published on Twitter.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A second delivery of the much-coveted COVID-19 vaccine arrived in St. Johns County on Monday with 800 additional doses. “Online registration to make a vaccination appointment will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 7, for appointments on Friday, January 8,” a notification from the county’s Emergency Operations Center said. On Monday, the county’s vaccination site moved from the Health Department office to the Solomon Calhoun Community Center. Administration of the county’s vaccinations was handed over from the Florida Department of Health’s local office to local agencies including St. Johns County Fire and Rescue, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Augustine Fire Department and St. Johns County Emergency Management. During the first four days of vaccine distribution in St. Johns County, the Florida Department of Health gave shots to whoever lined up first and fit the state’s vaccine criteria (health care workers with patient contact and patients 65 years or older).

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – There are no available appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from St. Johns County at this time, county officials announced Sunday. Once St. Johns County receives a new allocation of the vaccine, a registration system will be launched for residents to make an appointment to receive a first dose of the vaccine. For updates regarding St. Johns County’s COVID-19 vaccination program, visit www.sjcfl.us/coronavirusvaccinations, call the St. Johns County COVID-19 vaccination hotline at 904-295-3711 or text SJCVACCINE to 888777. RELATED | COVID-19 vaccine in Northeast Florida: What we know by countyThe announcement comes after the county government stepped in to help St. Johns County’s health department and take over the logistics of distributing the vaccine. For several days, the county’s health department has offered COVID-19 vaccines on a first-come, first-served basis.

Another 383 vaccines were administered at the St. Johns County Fire-Rescue site. Quigley said more than 55,000 people 65 and above living in St. Johns County would qualify for the shots, but only 3,000 vaccines were distributed to the county so far. The line in St. John’s County is growing to try to get the first 3,000 of the county’s vaccines. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/kspLhKX0UC — Brittany Muller (@BrittMullerNews) January 1, 2021On Friday, St. Johns County Department of Health announced that anyone seeking a COVID-19 vaccination who takes prescribed blood thinner medications must bring a doctor’s note to receive a vaccination. To receive timely updates regarding the Department of Health in St. Johns County’s COVID-19 vaccination program, text SJCVACCINE to 888777.

A vial of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine that receivedemergency use authorization is seen at George Washington University Hospital, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)Have you tried to make an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Phone lines for the Florida Department of Health in Duval County were overwhelmed by calls Wednesday afternoon as residents over the age of 65 scrambled to make appointments to receive the vaccine. So if that’s been your experience, you’re not alone. Share your experience by filling out the brief form below:

Starting next week, the Florida Department of Health in Baker county will begin COVID-19 vaccinations for residents over the age of 65, the agency confirmed to News4Jax. The COVID-19 vaccine is currently being given to health care workers and first responders, said Jordan Duncan, community health nursing director for the health department. Duncan said the county health department’s current supply is an “appropriate” amount for frontline health care workers and a good start for Baker County’s senior residents. “I feel comfortable with what we’re receiving,” said Duncan, who added there’s no word yet on when the county will receive its next shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine. As the Baker County Press reports, those with appointments must bring some form of personal identification and should expect the process to last 20-30 minutes.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its information regarding whether pregnant women should get the COVID-19 vaccine. The health agency wants pregnant women to speak with their OBGYNs about their individual risks but also consider what not getting the vaccine means. At the start of the pandemic, it was unclear how COVID-19 affects pregnant women. A lot of the unknown is because pregnant women were NOT part of clinical trials for the vaccine. “The risks of me being pregnant and getting the virus is a lot more than me being pregnant and getting the vaccine,” Locke said.

Police, firefighters, teachers and grocery workers will be next in line for a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC advisory panel made the decision today for the second phase of distribution. Thousands of doses have been distributed across the county trying to fight the COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC Sunday said firefighters, teachers, police and grocery workers will be next, but can these employers force their employees to get the vaccine? He said the vaccine would also have to be made available to the public before an employer can require employees to get it.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Now that two vaccines have been approved and are already being distributed, how did Jacksonville turn out in clinical trials to contribute? Hundreds of clinical trials were done in the Jacksonville area, helping approve vaccines for COVID-19. The Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research had over 700 patients for both vaccines. After months of research and clinical trials, News4Jax is told Jacksonville patients responded well. While the Moderna vaccine has only done clinical trials for ages 18 and up, Koren said more studies should be conducted.

The first COVID-19 vaccine has been granted Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration, and a second is being evaluated. Both are MRNA vaccines – a new type of vaccine technology. “These MRNA vaccines are highly effective,” said Thad Stappenbeck, MD, PhD, Chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Inflammation & Immunity. When COVID-19 MRNA is used in a vaccine, it’s engineered and encoded to activate the body’s immune system to fight coronavirus. They had really no major safety concerns in either of the major trials that have been done with these vaccines.”Per federal advisors, COVID-19 vaccines will first be administered to healthcare workers, and residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of frontline health care workers at Ascension St. Vincent’s in Riverside received Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Thursday morning. Roughly 500 doses of COVID-19 are being administered to healthcare workers in Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital and the message on Thursday was one of hope. Ascension St. Vincent’s in Jacksonville is moving forward with Pfizer to vaccinate its front-line staff today. 500 healthcare workers set to get the #CovidVaccine. After getting the first dose of the shot, healthcare workers stayed for 15 minutes for observation.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is meeting virtually on Thursday to consider emergency use authorization of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine is said to be 95-percent effective and it needs to be administered in two doses weeks apart. Unlike its counterpart, though, the Moderna vaccine is easier store, a pharmacist tells News4Jax. However, the Moderna is easier to store,” said Jacksonville pharmacist Dr. Albert Chester. Ron DeSantis, who said the state is preparing to receive roughly 367,000 doses, which will go to dozens of hospitals.

A syringe contains a dose of a Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine sits in a container, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, during a vaccine clinic at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska. ( (Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News via AP, Pool)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late Wednesday night that extra doses from vials of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine can be used after reports of vaccine doses were being thrown away by pharmacists due to a labeling error. The Pfizer vials were labeled as holding five doses, but pharmacists said there was enough for a sixth or even a seventh dose. The Moderna vaccine only needs to be stored at -13°F to -5°F, compared to Pfizer’s -112°F to -76°F. Memorial Hospital Jacksonville began vaccinations at 10 a.m. Thursday after the Pfizer vaccine arrived earlier in the morning.

This comes after the FDA granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and Bio-N-Tech’s vaccine on Friday. This is just part of an overall plan to distribute 40 million vaccine doses by the end of the year. The focus will then be on how soon the U.S. can get to what is called herd immunity among the population. “So we need to have immunized about 75% or 80% of the U.S. population before herd immunity can really be established. Even after the first few million doses of the vaccine are administered, you can still expect pushes for social distancing and mask wearing until herd immunity is achieved.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Pfizer has a vaccine that could help in the fight against COVID-19, and the world will be watching to see the results. The new vaccine could be the answer to the first stage of defeating COVID-19. “It makes the spike protein on our cell membranes, and our body looks at that as foreign, and that spike protein is on COVID-19 virus. Moderna is also developing a vaccine using the messenger RNA technology, while AstraZeneca is using a more common scientific strategy similar to the flu vaccines. Even if you get the vaccine, it’s possible you could spread the virus to others.

Dr. Mobeen Rathore, Professor and Chief of Infectious Disease at UF Health Jacksonville, attended the virtual meeting yesterday when an advisory committee voted to recommend the FDA approve Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. It is going to be awhile before we know if this vaccine is safe and the effect for children,” said Dr. Rathore. “I think right now the vaccine is not going to be recommended for pregnant women because the studies were not conducted for pregnant women. If you get the vaccine, Dr. Rathore said that does not mean you should stop wearing a mask or stop socially distancing. Dr. Rathore said while the first dose does provide some protection, it is important that recipients receive both doses to be fully protected.

Just like your holiday packages, the COVID-19 vaccine will be sent by air and truck after it’s approved by the FDA. As part of Operation Warp Speed, the military has arranged for two carriers to deliver the doses around the country: FedEx will cover the western part of the United States and UPS will take the eastern half. A local doctor involved in one of the clinical trials being conducted in Jacksonville explained how the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work. Dr. Michael Koren said it’s important to understand that the vaccine does not inject any live virus into the body. Koren said participants in the clinical trials he is overseeing have experienced a range of reactions to the vaccine, including low-grade fever, headaches and muscle aches.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you’re able to get vaccinated for COVID-19, doctors say you’ll still need to wear a mask. That’s because even though the vaccine will likely protect you, it’s not clear if it will keep you from potentially spreading the virus to others. Both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s trials only tracked vaccinated people who became sick with COVID-19 — not the possibility that some who were vaccinated might have gotten infected without developing symptoms. Mask wearing will be encouraged for the long haul even with a vaccine coming soon. More information is coming on the potential of asymptomatic spreading even with the vaccine.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With multiple COVID-19 vaccines nearing approval, the state of Florida has begun to shed light on how doses of the vaccine will be distributed once they’re available. Ron DeSantis previously said the first phase of the vaccine distribution effort will be focused on vaccinating those most at risk, namely residents of long-term care facilities and frontline healthcare workers. He told News4Jax he expects the state to set up mass vaccination clinics for the public. RELATED: Florida to prioritize long-term care residents, healthcare workers for COVID-19 vaccine“We’re getting updates as pharmacists and I’m sure other healthcare providers are getting updates on almost a daily basis, sometimes a (weekly) basis,” Duane said. “Definitely watching it.”Duane noted that Florida’s vaccine distribution plan might differ from other states because each is making its own preparations to deliver doses of the vaccine to the masses once it’s ready for public consumption.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – UF Health Jacksonville said it is expecting a recent surge in COVID-19 patients to get worse. “Currently, here at UF Health Jacksonville, we do have the capacity to continue to accept other patients,” said Neilsen, who also described more about the age of patients being treated for the virus. Across the city of Jacksonville and the Duval County area, we are seeing some of that young age, so an average age of new cases is still hovering around 40.”Neilsen said he expects UF Health Jacksonville to receive the first vaccine, if approved, as early as a week from Monday. Neilsen explained why he believes if the vaccine is granted approval, Americans should be confident it is safe. They are making sure everything passes muster and that this is a safe efficacious vaccine,” Neilsen said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Experts say COVID-19 disproportionately impacts people of color, which is why a group of Black physicians are encouraging the African American community to take a COVID-19 vaccine, once it’s proven safe. Consider how the pandemic has affected the Black community in Jacksonville. According to Florida Department of Health data, Black people make up 29.8 percent of Duval County’s COVID-19 cases, despite accounting for 29 percent of the county’s total population. But due to inequities in healthcare, physicians acknowledge that getting the Black community to take the vaccine once it’s available won’t be an easy sell. “I want to err on (the side of it) being safe and effective,” she said of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Although we still don’t know when a COVID-19 vaccine will be made available to the general public, the Florida Department of Health is already making plans to administer those injections to residents across the state. The Florida Department of Health currently plans to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in three phases. (Florida Department of Health)The doctors and state health officials who are developing the distribution plans are meeting biweekly. Since hospitals have the most storage, they’ll likely be among some of the first health care facilities to receive doses of the vaccine. You can read the draft of Florida’s COVID-19 vaccination plan in its entirety here.