AdventHealth COVID-19 vaccine distribution update

December 30, 2020 — Dec. 30, 2020 UPDATE:

Community vaccination, including those 65 years and older:

• At this time, AdventHealth is not providing vaccines to the general public, including those 65 years or older, at any hospital, AdventHealth Centra Care or AdventHealth Medical Group practice.
• We are following state and federal guidelines, which call for frontline health care workers to receive the vaccine first.
• AdventHealth is developing a robust community vaccination plan and anticipates beginning this process in Central Florida for people 65 years and older in upcoming weeks. We will continue to follow the vaccination guidelines as set by state and federal authorities.
• We will provide media and the public details on this process as soon as possible.
• All information on vaccine distribution for the public will be posted on www.CoronavirusVaccineFacts.com class="MsoHyperlink">.
• Those interested can go to www.CoronavirusVaccineAlerts.com to sign up for email updates on when vaccines will be available from AdventHealth.
• In the meantime, we encourage residents to contact their local health department for vaccination information.

“This has been a herculean effort and we are grateful for the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders whose quick actions have helped us quickly vaccinate our frontline health care workers,” said Brian Adams, CEO of AdventHealth’s Polk County market, who is leading the COVID response for the organization’s Central Florida Division. “The vaccine is safe, effective, and the greatest tool we have in protecting ourselves and helping curb the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We look forward to providing vaccines to our broader community in January and our teams are working around-the-clock to develop a program that will allow us to quickly vaccinate those 65 years and older.”

Team member vaccination:

• AdventHealth has vaccinated more than 12,000 Central Florida team members over the last 10 days.
• Vaccinations for frontline AdventHealth team members are now underway at our campuses in Orlando, Celebration, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Fish Memorial, Winter Park, Waterman and East Orlando.
• This vaccination process will expand to our Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Heart of Florida, Lake Wales, New Smyrna Beach and Palm Coast campuses next week.

COVID-19 vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (Updated Dec. 30, 2020)

AdventHealth has launched a COVID-19 vaccine resource website, www.CoronavirusVaccineFacts.comto help consumers learn more about the vaccine.

For other frequently asked questions:

Q: I am 65 years old (or older) and would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Are you offering vaccines at AdventHealth, AdventHealth Centra Care or AdventHealth Medical Group practices?

A: At this time, AdventHealth is not offering vaccines to the general public, including those 65 or older, at any of our hospitals, AdventHealth Centra Care or AdventHealth Medical Group locations. We are following federal guidelines and are initially vaccinating our frontline health care workers to ensure they are protected as they care for our patients. We hope to provide vaccines to the general public, including those 65 years or older, in the near future and will provide updates on www.CoronavirusVaccineFacts.com. In the meantime, we encourage you to contact your local health department or primary care physician to learn more.

Q: Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?

A: Extensive clinical trials were conducted with thousands of participants to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine and generate scientific data and other information for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine its safety and effectiveness. You cannot get COVID-19 from a vaccine.

Q: How does the COVID-19 vaccine work?

A: The vaccine helps you develop antibodies that make you less susceptible to the disease. It does not use the live virus that causes COVID-19.

Q: What should the public do in the meantime?

A: We strongly support community masking initiatives and are aggressively advocating team members and the public wear a mask whenever they are out in the community. Masks help reduce the transmission of any kind of droplets and, along with social distancing and frequent hand washing, are the best things you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.