Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccination Information

Florida Residency Requirements for First Dose of Vaccine

In accordance with the Florida Department of Health Public Health Advisory, individuals presenting for their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine must be able to demonstrate Florida residency. This does NOT apply to healthcare providers or for the second dose of the vaccine.

You must provide:

• a valid Florida Driver License or Florida ID card

OR two of the following items:

• A deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, mortgage payment booklet or residential rental or lease agreement
• A utility hookup or work order that is not more than 2 months old
• A utility bill that is not more than 2 months old
• Mail from a bank or other financial institution, including checking, savings, or investment account statements, that is not more than 2 months old
• Mail from a government agency that is not more than 2 months old. (Mail from a government agency can include tax bills showing a Florida address)
• One of the above items from the individuals parent, step-parent, legal guardian or other person with whom the individual resides and a statement from the parent, step-parent, legal guardian or other person with whom the person resides stating that the person does reside with him or her

Miami-Dade County Vaccination Sites

Miami-Dade County offers a pre-registration system to allow eligible individuals interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at Miami-Dade County-run locations to complete a one-time registration, via the phone or online. Eligible registrants will be contacted by the Program as vaccine supply becomes available at sites in Miami-Dade County. Complete your pre-registration online or call 305-614-2014.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, or a TTY user, you may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service) or email 311@miamidade.gov for assistance.

Miami-Dade County provides vaccines at the following drive-thru vaccination sites:

• Homestead Sports Complex
• Tropical Park
• Zoo Miami

Homebound Seniors in County Public Facilities

Due to the limited availability of vaccines at this time, Miami-Dade County is conducting mobile vaccination events at senior residential facilities and providing vaccines directly to homebound seniors age 65 and older who live in County facilities or receive County services. Miami-Dade County staff are directly contacting these individuals to schedule vaccinations.

State-Supported Sites

State-Supported Vaccination Sites
The State of Florida is operating vaccination sites for eligible individuals at the following locations:

• Bucky Dent Park Gymnasium (Walk-up)
  2250 West 60th Street, Hialeah, FL 33016
  9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week
  No appointment required for this location
• Hard Rock Stadium (Drive-Thru)
  347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens, 33056
  9 a.m. – 5 p.m., 7 days a week
• Helen Miller Center (Walk-up)
  2331 NW 143 St, Opa-Locka, FL 33054
  9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week
  Appointment not required but you can pre-register at Commvax

• Marlins Park (Drive-Thru)
  501 Marlins Way, Miami, 33125
  8 a.m. – 3 p.m., 7 days a week

• Oak Grove Park – Father Gerard Jean-Juste Community Center (Walk-up)
  690 NE 159th Street, Miami, 33162
  8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week

• Overtown Youth Center – Parking Lot* (Walk-up)
  1551 NW 1st Ave, Miami, 33136
  8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., 7 days a week
  * No appointment required for this location

To get an appointment you must first pre-register online at MyVaccine.FL.gov or by calling 1-888-499-0840 (TTY#: 1-888-256-8918 ). You will be contacted by email or phone when first dose appointments become available.

Individuals who are in these prioritized populations should be prepared to show proof of employment, such as a badge, when they arrive at the site to receive their vaccine.

Second dose appointments are scheduled on site immediately after individuals receive their first dose. Please visit MyVaccine.FL.gov or call the COVID-19 State Information line at 833-540-2065 for additional information.

Homebound Senior Residents
Homebound seniors can email the State of Florida at HomeboundVaccine@em.myflorida.com to request to be vaccinated at home. For more information on the state’s vaccination programs, call the state’s COVID-19 Information Line at 1-833-540-2065.

CVS Health

CVS Pharmacy, CVS Phaymacy y Más, and Navarro Discount Pharmacy locations in Miami-Dade County offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app. Individuals without online access can contact CVS customer service at 1-800-746-7287. Walk-in vaccinations without an appointment will not be provided.

Publix Pharmacies

Eligible residents may receive the vaccine at Publix pharmacies. Vaccination appointments are scheduled online only. Appointments cannot be made by calling Publix or the Publix Pharmacy.

Walmart

Eligible residents may receive the vaccine at select Walmart pharmacy locations. All locations are by appointment only. Book your appointment online. You need to create a free account in order to sign up for an appointment.

Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más

Eligible residents may receive the vaccine at select Winn-Dixie or Fresco y Más (owned by Winn-Dixie) pharmacy locations. All locations are by appointment only. Appointments are booked online at Winn-Dixie or Fresco y Más. Winn-Dixie/Fresco y Más recommends printing and filling out the consent form before your appointment (forms will also be available in stores).

VA Hospitals

The Miami VA Healthcare Systems are offering COVID-19 vaccines to veterans already receiving care from the VA. Check available locations.

Homebound Vaccinations

Homebound residents ages 18+ can request to be vaccinated at home. Call 305.792.1706 as soon as possible to have your name added to the list. The list will be provided to the Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management and the State of Florida. Someone from the County or State will verify your eligibility and then contact you to coordinate next steps.

A person is considered confined to the home or “homebound” if the following two criteria are met.

The person must either:

1. Because of illness or injury – need the aid of supportive devices such as crutches, canes, wheelchairs, and walkers; the use of special transportation; or the assistance of another person in order to leave their place of residence.
OR
2. Have a condition such that leaving his or her home is medically contraindicated. 

If one of these two conditions is met, the person must also have a normal inability to leave home, and leaving home must require a considerable and taxing effort.

Hospital Providers and Other Locations

Jackson Health System
Jackson Health System (JHS) offers an online platform for eligible vaccine recipients living in Miami-Dade County to request a vaccination appointment. If you are unable to schedule an appointment, please return to their page routinely for ongoing updates as they receive additional vaccines.

• Request an appointment with JHS

Baptist Health System
Baptist Health is offering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible recipients living in Miami-Dade County.

• Request an appointment with Baptist Health

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Teens and young adults ages 16 to 21 currently under the care of physicians or specialists for medical conditions identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as posing an increased risk for severe illness associated with COVID-19 can be registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Individuals older than 21 and under the medical care of a pediatrician or pediatric specialist are also being evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Candidates need to provide the Florida COVID-19 Determination of Extreme Vulnerability form, completed by their physician, to confirm their clinical status.

• Request an appointment with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

Currently, there are three vaccines available to prevent COVID-19 in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to permit the emergency use of the products Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson [Janssen] for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older (Pfizer) or individuals 18 years of age and older (Moderna and Johnson & Johnson).

CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine in the United States out of an abundance of caution, effective Tuesday, April 13. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will hold its second emergency meeting to discuss J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine on April 23, 2021. People who have received the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine within the past three weeks who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should seek medical care right away.

State guidelines outline who is eligible to receive the vaccine in each state. In Florida, individuals 18 years of age or older may receive the COVID-19 vaccine as outlined in the Governor’s Executive Order. Minors 16 or 17 years of age may receive the Pfizer vaccine but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to the vaccination site and submit a parental consent form.

To receive the vaccine in Florida, individuals need to show proof they live in Florida. If an individual does not have a valid State of Florida ID or driver’s license, they will need to provide two of the following documents as proof they live in Florida:

• A deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, mortgage payment booklet or residential rental or lease agreement
• A utility hookup or work order dated within 60 days
• A utility bill, not more than 2 months old
• Mail from a financial institution, including checking, savings or investment account statements, not more than 2 months old
• Mail from a federal, state, county or municipal government agency, not more than 2 months old

Currently, there are several ways to book appointments as they become available from various providers. Because demand is currently high and supply is limited, many appointments fill up within minutes of becoming available. We recommend pursuing all avenues of booking an appointment until you can secure one. Continue to check for updates on Miami-Dade County’s webpage and this webpage.

Yes. All COVID-19 vaccine candidates are being studied in large groups of people in order to ensure they are both safe and effective. After vaccines are approved for emergency use or full licensure, they will continue to be monitored for safety through the robust vaccine safety monitoring system in the U.S.

If a serious potential adverse event is noted during a clinical trial, that trial may be paused while that event is investigated. Because of high safety standards for vaccines, it’s typical for most vaccine candidates to not make it to the final stages of testing. For COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials, it is possible that not all vaccine candidates will come to market.

Messenger RNA vaccines – also called mRNA vaccines are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases. MRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein – or even just a piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. The benefit of mRNA vaccines, like all vaccines, is those vaccinated gain protection without ever having to risk the serious consequences of getting sick with COVID-19. MRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19. They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way. Learn more about mRNA vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html.

The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines’ efficacy is among the best we have available compared to routinely recommended vaccines. For example, compare the efficacy of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines to other routinely recommended vaccines:

• Pfizer novel coronavirus vaccine (2 doses): 95%
• Moderna novel coronavirus vaccine (2 doses): 94.1%
• Johnson & Johnson novel coronavirus vaccine (1 dose): 66%
• Influenza vaccine (1 dose): ~44%
• Chickenpox/Varicella vaccine (2 doses): 90%
• Measles (MMR-2 doses): 97%

There is very limited data on the efficacy of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines when only one dose is given. Pfizer has indicated that the efficacy of their COVID-19 vaccine after one dose is at least 52%. Moderna has noted 80.2% efficacy after one dose. For best protection, it is recommended that individuals receive two doses.

Yes. If you receive a vaccine product that requires two doses, the second dose must be the same brand/manufacturer as the first dose.

Ideally, individuals would also receive both doses from the same facility.

Common side effects from vaccination include pain, swelling or redness where the shot was given, a mild fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle and joint aches. These side effects were also noted in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. For vaccines that require two doses, side effects are more common after the second dose for both Pfizer and Moderna.

The CDC has stated that patients can take pain medication (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory or acetaminophen) after their vaccination if they feel side effects (e.g. pain, headache, or fever that cannot be tolerated).

There has been debate on whether or not taking pain medication prior to vaccination may dampen an individual’s immune response to the vaccine. Until we know more, it is not recommended for individuals to take pain medication in anticipation of potential side effects prior to their vaccine. If you have to take pain medication to alleviate side effects, it is advised for you to take it after you have been vaccinated.

Getting vaccinated is a personal choice. Any of the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines can be offered to people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have questions about getting vaccinated, a conversation with your healthcare provider might help, but is not required.

Although the overall risk of severe illness is low, pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared to non-pregnant people. Severe illness includes illness that results in intensive care admission, mechanical ventilation, or death. Additionally, pregnant people with COVID-19 might be at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth, compared with pregnant women without COVID-19.

Based on how these vaccines work in the body, experts believe they are unlikely to pose a specific risk for people who are pregnant. However, there are currently limited data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant people

• Clinical trials that look at the safety and how well the COVID-19 vaccines work in pregnant people are underway or planned. Vaccine manufacturers are also monitoring data from people in the clinical trials who received vaccine and became pregnant.
• Studies in animals receiving a Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine before or during pregnancy found no safety concerns.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html

COVID-19 vaccine should not be given to individuals with a known history of a severe allergic reaction (e.g. anaphylaxis) or immediate allergic reaction to a previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine or any component of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination should be postponed until the person has recovered and criteria have been met to end isolation.

There is not a minimum interval between infection and vaccination. However, current evidence suggests reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection, and thus, persons with documented acute infection in the preceding 90 days may defer vaccination until the end of the period, if desired.

Since supplies of COVID-19 vaccine are limited, healthcare providers may choose to prioritize those who previously had COVID-19 at a lower priority.

Yes. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID19 and the fact that re-infection is possible, the vaccine should be offered to you regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. At this time experts do not know how longer someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19 the immunity someone gains from having an infection (natural immunity) varies from person to person. Some early evidence suggests natural immunity may not last very long.

At this time, we do not know how long immunity following vaccination will last. Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson noted that there does not appear to be evidence of waning protection during the follow-up time of approximately 2 months following the completion of series (1 dose for Johnson & Johnson and 2 doses for Moderna and Pfizer) of the vaccine.

What we do know is that COVID-19 vaccines will be continuously monitored to determine duration of immunity after vaccination. Immunity following vaccination will depend on which types of vaccines are licensed or authorized and what part of the immune system responds to the vaccine.

Yes. It’s important for everyone to continue to cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often. It is unknown whether getting a COVID-19 vaccine will prevent you from spreading the virus that causes. COVID-19 to other people, even if you don’t get sick yourself. Together, the COVID-19 vaccination and following the CDC’s recommendations will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19.

No. the COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19. None of the authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccines or COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID-19.

The currently available COVID-19 vaccines are around 66-95% efficacious at preventing symptomatic COVID-19. Yet, we do not yet have evidence whether getting vaccinated prevents asymptomatic infection and transmission.

Johnson & Johnson clinical trial data suggests their vaccine may be 74% effective against asymptomatic COVID-19 following day 29 after vaccination, but more data is needed to make any conclusions regarding these findings. Studies are expected in the coming months that better answer this question. It is important to note that even if the vaccine does not prevent asymptomatic COVID and only prevents symptomatic COVID, it is still extremely valuable.

Yes, it is possible. Here are a few reasons why:

• No vaccine is 100% effective. While the currently available COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective, the protection is not perfect. A small percentage of people are not protected after vaccination and for others the protection may wane over time.
• The vaccine has been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 disease. The clinical trials only looked at whether the vaccine prevents disease, not infection, so a vaccinated person could still become infected and/or potentially spread the virus to others. Currently available COVID-19 vaccines are highly efficacious at preventing severe disease. But, we are still learning how well these vaccines prevent asymptomatic disease and transmission.
• Current vaccines may not be as effective against new strains of the virus. With the virus still widely circulating globally, we have seen a rise of variants in places such as the U.K., South Africa, and Brazil. We have even seen the presence of these variant strains in the U.S. (including in North Dakota), and while the vaccines appear to still provide protection, it may not be as effective at preventing infection from these variant strains.
• Vaccines don’t provide immediate protection. It takes a few days to a few weeks for vaccines to provide protection. Our body needs time to build an immune response to the vaccine. If someone is exposed to the virus during this time, it is possible they still may become sick from the virus.
• The test may be a false positive. False-positive test results can occur. It may be that the test detected antibodies to a coronavirus closely related to the COVID-19 virus or that the test quality was flawed.

It is unknown whether the new virus strains (caused by mutations) will affect the efficacy of vaccines in the long run. While COVID-19 variants have been detected and confirmed in the United States, both Pfizer and Moderna have reported that their vaccines produce immune responses that recognize and neutralize variant strains, although there was a reduction in antibodies that neutralize some variants. We also know that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 64% efficacious against moderate to severe disease and 81.7% efficacious against severe disease 28 days following vaccination in clinical trials in South Africa with 94.5% of the cases identified as the B.1.251 variant. In Brazil, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was found to be 68.1% efficacious against moderate to severe disease and 87.6% against severe disease 28 days following vaccination with 69.4% of cases identified as the P.2 variant.

It is possible a variant of the virus may someday make current vaccines ineffective. The manufacturers anticipated potential mutation of the virus, as this is common in coronaviruses. Because of this knowledge, vaccines have been designed to target the entire spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccinated individuals produce antibodies that recognize many different parts of the spike protein, so even if one portion of the protein changes or mutates, there will be antibodies to other parts of the protein, which makes it harder for the virus to completely evade our immune systems.

There will be no penalty for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. Yet, vaccinating is the only way to end the pandemic and begin the process of returning to normal life. It is important to note that some employers may decide to not cover pay from quarantine and/or isolation required from COVID-19 exposure if you refuse to vaccinate. Further, both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines preliminary data indicate an efficacy around 95%, which places them among the best vaccines we have available compared to all recommended vaccines. Additionally Johnson & Johnson clinical trail data indicated their vaccine is 85% effective at preventing severe disease and 100% effective at preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19 28 days following vaccination.

It is also important to consider the true risk of choosing not to vaccinate. By not vaccinating, you put yourself and those around you at risk of getting sick from COVID-19. This virus can have serious, life threatening complications and there is no way to know how the virus will affect you. COVID-19 vaccines are being carefully evaluated and will be authorized only if they are found to be safe and make it substantially less likely you’ll get COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself and prevent spared of the disease to your friends, loved ones, and those in your community is to vaccinate against COVID-19.

For more information on the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine, please see the CDC website.

Online scammers are taking advantage of this health emergency by luring victims with false claims that they can deliver COVID-19 vaccination within days for a fee. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a fraud alert on December 3 aimed at Americans eager to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying: “You will not be asked for money to enhance your ranking for vaccine eligibility.” Because doses of vaccine were purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars, it will be provided to patients at no costs. Providers may charge an administration fee and have the fee reimbursed by private and public insurance companies. It is important to turn to trusted sources when looking for guidance on COVID-19 vaccine, this includes your local public health department, pharmacy, and/or healthcare provider.

The FBI has warned the public to be extremely wary of the following potentially fraudulent activities:

• Advertisements/offers for early access to a vaccine with payment.
• Requests asking an individual to pay out of pocket to obtain a vaccine or to put their name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list.
• Offers for additional medical testing when obtaining a vaccine.
• People offering to sell/ship doses of a vaccine in exchange for a fee.
• Unsolicited emails, phone calls, and/or text messages from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company or COVID-19 vaccine center to determine eligibility that you are unfamiliar with.
• Advertisements for vaccines through online and social media platforms.

HHS Protect Yourself Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Scams Handout.