FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla.— The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County (DOH-Okaloosa) is partnering with Okaloosa County Emergency Medical Services and local fire departments to begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment only to adults ages 65 and older and non-hospital health care workers with direct patient contact. Priority will be given to Florida residents or an individual present in Florida for the purpose of providing health care services involving direct contact with patients.
Wednesday, January 27 (280 appointments)
8 a.m. – noon
DOH-Okaloosa Fort Walton Beach
221 Hospital Dr. NE
Fort Walton Beach, FL
Thursday, January 28 (960 appointments)
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Crestview Community Center
1446 Commerce Dr
Crestview, FL
Registration will open at noon on Monday, January 25 both online and for scheduling over the phone. These slots fill up quickly but please be assured, we will have additional vaccination clinics. Please do not call to schedule an appointment before this time. Appointments are unable to be made through email or by walk-in at the health department.
Appointments must be made in advance. To make an appointment visit myokaloosa.com/bcc/covid-19/vaccine to register online via Eventbrite or by calling 850-344-0566. Google Chrome is the recommended browser for using Eventbrite. We encourage people to register online. Please note callers may experience delays, dropped calls and busy signals due to high call volume.
Appointments are required for this vaccination clinic and will not be scheduled on site. Do not arrive at the vaccination site without an appointment. Anyone born in January 1956 or earlier and non-hospital health care workers with direct patient contact are eligible for a vaccine appointment. IDs will be verified at the vaccination event and if anyone scheduled does not meet these criteria, their appointment will be canceled.
On January 21, State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees signed a Public Health Advisory prioritizing Florida residents for COVID-19 vaccinations given in Florida. Recipients of the vaccine must be able to demonstrate residency consistent with criteria set forth in § 381.986(5)(b), Fla. Stat.; or an individual present in Florida for the purpose of providing health care services involving direct contact with patients.
Individuals receiving the vaccine must complete a vaccine screening and consent form to confirm eligibility. These are available on our website. For those that cannot access the forms in advance, a paper copy will be provided at your appointment time. A valid government-issued ID must be shown at the vaccination site. This can include a passport, driver’s license or military identification card. Non-hospital health care workers with direct patient contact are required to show their badge. People will also need to bring their registration confirmation number.
Appointments are non-transferable. If you need to cancel an appointment, you can call 850-344-0566 or if you registered online you can cancel using Eventbrite. Each person receiving the vaccine must sign up for an individual appointment ticket. Due to high demand, tickets online may be “sold” before your sale is complete. Completed orders display an order number and you will receive a confirmation email. Tickets are also available by phone until sold out.
Once you’ve secured your appointment time, please arrive on-time. Individuals arriving early can cause delays and longer lines.
Please be careful not to be fooled by a fake Eventbrite account. Always use the link provided by DOH-Okaloosa and Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners. Registration is free. DOH-Okaloosa will not ask for credit card information or your social security number.
We will issue an update once vaccination slots have been filled. As vaccination events and details are finalized, DOH – Okaloosa will release more information on vaccination events.
The appointment only vaccination clinic will be drive-thru only, and all individuals will remain in their vehicle for the duration of the clinic. Individuals receiving the vaccine are asked to wear short-sleeve shirts and remove any jackets/coats when arriving.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises individuals to be monitored for at least 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Individuals will be directed to a waiting area to park and should plan accordingly.
The vaccination provided will be the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. A second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine is required 21 days after the first dose. This dose will be scheduled at the first dose appointment. This vaccine was authorized for emergency use by the United States Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization.
According to data released by the Food and Drug Administration, the vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer- BioNTech are highly protective for adults and prevents severe cases of COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine is a monumental step toward getting this disease under control in Florida, but the department is still encouraging residents and visitors to take precautions to protect themselves and others from the spread of the virus. These include frequent hand washing, wearing face masks, maintaining six feet of social distancing, and staying home if you are feeling sick.
Updates will be added to DOH-Okaloosa website, www.HealthyOkaloosa.com. Information about the statewide vaccination distribution plan can be found on the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage.
