ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida finally launched a statewide website last week that allowed people to reserve a spot in line to get their COVID-19 vaccine, but not all counties are using it.
That’s only creating confusion for a process that’s proven to be frustrating for many.
Eligible Floridians who sign up through the new statewide site will be contacted when vaccine appointments become available at state-supported vaccination sites where they live.
But officials in at least half of the counties in Tampa Bay have opted out of linking up with this new system.
Opting out:
- Hernando
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Polk
- Manatee
- Sarasota
Citrus, Hardee and Hillsborough counties are using the new site.
We asked why.
Officials in Pinellas County say the county just hasn't yet opted in and is currently working with the state on how to combine processes.
"We have another system that was previously in place and are working with the state on how both technologies will work together in the future," a county spokesperson said in an email to 10 Tampa Bay.
"We already have over 60,000 people who pre-registered in our system prior to the state's launch, so we need to be thoughtful in managing how those users and the ones using the state system will be contacted in the future."
In Sarasota County, a new registration system—known as Everbridge—launched Jan. 20 and has more than 115,000 accounts registered, according to Steve Huard with the Sarasota Department of Health.
“In addition, the system allows for automated contacts and a user confirmation process when appointments are available,” Huard said. “We will continue to evaluate the state reservation system however, at this time we do not anticipate changing to the new system.”
Similarly in Manatee County, officials stand by their current system and its success, which is proof of how easy it is to enroll.
“Our system has been in use for more than a month and that an estimated 160,000 people are registered in our system,” said county spokesperson Nick Azzara. “To ask that group to sign up for a separate list is unfair and would cause unnecessary confusion.”
Pasco County health officials say after an initial rocky rollout and subsequent switch to a new system, they don’t want to risk causing more confusion by switching systems yet again.
“We had some issues early on using Eventbrite and then in order to get past that we went ahead and contracted with CDR Maguire through the county,” said Pasco Department of Health spokesperson Melissa Watts.
“It’s a little confusing, especially when we’re working with people 65 and older who maybe aren’t as tech-savvy, to say here’s one way to try to get an appointment for your COVID vaccination, but that one’s not working out, we’re going to switch it to this one – CDR Maguire – it’s going to work so much better and then a few weeks later, switch them again.”
Watts says you can still sign up on the statewide site even if your county has opted out – as long as you’re OK with getting the vaccine in a different county that is using the site.
A spokesperson for the Florida Division of Emergency Management echoed that, saying the site is for all Floridians, regardless of county:
“It is completely up to the individual if they choose to provide their information to the statewide preregistration system,” said an emailed statement.
“If a county has a system in place and decides to use the statewide system, the state will work with them to merge existing waitlists. In counties where they have opted in to the system, eligible individuals will be contacted to schedule an appointment when they're available in the area through the state system.”
Editor's note: Initial report indicated Pinellas County had opted out. A county representative requested it be clarified the county just hasn't yet opted in and is currently working with the state on how to combine processes.
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