How To Get A Vaccine In Florida

Senior Citizens Line Up For Vaccinations Administered By Florida Department Of Health — Floridians age 65 and up and first responders wait in line for a vaccine
in Fort Myers.

En español | Who can get vaccinated now?

Everyone age 5 and up

Who's eligible for a booster shot?

Adults 65 and older and people ages 18 and up with underlying health conditions or who work or live in settings that put them at high risk for COVID-19 exposure are eligible for a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says . People 18 and up who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get a booster dose at least two months after the first shot.

Third doses of Pfizer and Moderna, distinct from boosters, are available for specific immunocompromised people , including organ transplant recipients and certain cancer patients. These recipients may also get a booster — a fourth dose — at least six months after the third shot, according to CDC guidance .

Can I mix and match boosters?

Which vaccine is authorized for kids?

Pfizer's vaccine is authorized for children age 5 and older; the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for those 18 and older. Pfizer's vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds is one-third the dose given to people age 12 and up, and is given in two doses, three weeks apart, according to CDC recommendations . Shots for kids are available at doctors' offices and certain retail pharmacies. Call your doctor or check pharmacy websites. Both Pfizer and Moderna are researching how their vaccines work in children as young as 6 months.

Where can I get a vaccine or booster?

If you are homebound or know someone who is, you can request a vaccine be delivered to your home by contacting the state's elder helpline at 1-800-963-5337 or by emailing Florida's Division of Emergency Management at HomeboundVaccine@em.myflorida.com .

Pharmacies, health clinics and medical providers. Doses of vaccines and boosters have been distributed to hundreds of hospitals and pharmacies, some of which are listed on Florida's vaccine locator tool . You can also visit the websites of CVS , Publix Pharmacy , Winn-Dixie , Harveys and Fresco y Más to find appointments. Note that some pharmacy websites require you to answer questions about your vaccination status before presenting the option for a booster. Many sites let you book appointments for the specific brand of vaccine or booster you prefer, based on availability.

The federal government's vaccines website, Vaccines.gov , lets you search for vaccine and booster sites by zip code, with links to appointments. Get the same information by texting your zip code to 438829 or by calling 800-232-0233 (TTY: 888-720-7489).

Local health departments. Contact your county health department to determine where you can get a vaccine. Some counties have set up vaccine hotlines for residents to more easily schedule appointments. Florida's COVID-19 data dashboard tracks how many people have been vaccinated in the state.

Veterans Affairs facilities are vaccinating veterans, spouses and veteran caregivers . You can sign up with VA .

Many transit agencies are offering free or discounted rides to and from vaccination sites.

What if I'm a visitor from out-of-state?

Snowbirds, part-time residents and people who work in Florida are eligible to get a vaccine. If you're traveling to Florida and want to get vaccinated there, you may be asked to show proof of residency.

What should I bring to my vaccination appointment?

Officials recommend that you bring a driver's license or other state-issued ID that shows your name, age and state residency, and your health insurance card, if you have one. You will not be charged, but the vaccine provider may bill your insurer a fee for administering the vaccine.

How are vaccinations working in nursing homes and long-term care facilities?

Most long-term care residents and staff were offered first and second doses through a federal program that provided free on-site vaccinations in late 2020 and early 2021. The program has ended, but the federal government continues to allocate COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to pharmacies that are partnered with long-term care facilities to provide vaccinations, mainly on-site.

Facilities that don't have a pharmacy partner are encouraged to work with local or state health departments — or the federal government, if need be — to provide vaccinations.

The federal government has ordered all nursing home staff to be vaccinated in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid dollars. AARP is calling for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for nursing home residents and staff.

Which vaccines require two initial doses?

Both Pfizer and Moderna require two doses. If you get one of these, you'll need a follow-up dose to be effectively immunized. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine requires just one shot. A Food and Drug Administration warning says the vaccine has been connected with rare, severe blood clots in a small number of recipients, especially in women age 50 years and younger, and an increased risk of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

Do I have to pay for the vaccination?

You should not have any out-of-pocket cost for getting the vaccine. AARP fought to make sure the federal government is covering the cost of the vaccine itself.

Scammers are purporting to offer COVID vaccines and treatments and trying to charge for them. AARP's Fraud Watch Network is tracking the latest scams.

What should I do with my vaccine card?

You should get a small white card at your vaccination appointment with your name, birth date, name of the vaccine you received and the date it was administered. If you receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, bring your card when you get your second shot.

You may need your vaccine card to schedule a third vaccine dose, for certain immunocompromised people, or a booster shot. You may also need it for certain kinds of travel or other activities, so keep it in a safe place. You can take a photo of it with your smartphone for your own records. Experts say that posting a photo of your card to social media could make you vulnerable to identity theft.

If you've lost your vaccine card, call the site where you were vaccinated to request a new one or a copy of your vaccination record. You can also contact your state health department to request a replacement card or a copy of your record.

How protected am I post-vaccination? I've heard about breakthrough infections.

Should I still wear a mask after getting vaccinated?

It takes two weeks to build immunity after the single-dose shot and after the second dose of the two-dose shots. Due to the continuing circulation of the Delta variant, the CDC is recommending fully vaccinated people in areas with high and substantial COVID-19 transmission wear a mask in indoor settings, including schools.

The CDC recommends continuing to wear a mask on planes, buses and trains and other shared transport while traveling into, within or out of the United States.

This guide, originally published on Dec. 18, was updated on Nov. 3 with more information about the authorization of Pfizer's vaccine for children age 5 and up.