Publix stores in the Keys started booking COVID vaccine appointments. They’re all taken for now

Gwen Filosa
·1 min read
Antonio Castro receives the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from Walgreens Pharmacy Intern Erika Blanco, 24, at The Palace Renaissance & Royale, an assisted living facility in Kendall, on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. Vaccines were available Wednesday for The Palace residents and staff.

Two Publix pharmacies in the Florida Keys, one in Key West and another in Islamorada, will distribute the COVID-19 vaccine this week.

Locations

Publix, which has two stores in Key West, will offer the vaccines for now only at the one at 1112 Key Plaza, according to the grocery chain’s list. The Publix in Islamorada is at 83268 Overseas Highway.

Restrictions

The vaccines will be offered to residents 65 and older and will be available by appointment only, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in Jupiter on Tuesday.

Appointments and when the shots will start

The two Keys Publix pharmacies started taking appointments for eligible people after 6 a.m. Wednesday, and shots are scheduled to begin to be administered on Thursday, according to Publix.

But Wednesday morning, Publix announced online that all available vaccine appointments had been claimed. Appointment-making will resume after 6 a.m. Friday for appointments that will start Saturday.

Those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida, by appointment only, are: healthcare personnel with direct patient contact, residents and staff of long-term care facilities and adults 65 years and older.

You can’t call the store to get an appointment.

“Vaccination appointments are scheduled online only,” the website said. “Appointments cannot be made by calling Publix or the Publix pharmacy.”

Each store will have 100 or 125 shots available per day, DeSantis said.

Keys stats

According to the state’s Monday vaccine report, 4,207 people in the Keys have been vaccinated with 260 receiving the required two doses. Monroe County is home to about 74,000 people.

More than one million Floridians have been vaccinated and 100,351 people have received both doses.