ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials confirmed Thursday that teachers and school employees of all ages are able to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the federally run COVID-19 vaccination site in Orlando.
When the site, located at Valencia College’s West Campus, first opened on Wednesday, it was only vaccinating people ages 65 and older and teachers, police officers and firefighters age 50 and over.
READ: New FEMA COVID-19 vaccination site in Orlando opens for walk-up vaccines
The change on Thursday came after Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news conference that school employees of any age could be vaccinated at FEMA sites.
Channel 9 spoke with several teachers on Thursday under the age of 50 who received their vaccine at the Orlando-area vaccination sites after showing their school IDs.
READ: FEMA opens mobile COVID-19 vaccination sites to reach underserved communities
Federal officials at FEMA site in Orlando confirmed they are allowing all teachers K-12 to get vaccinated...regardless of age. #WFTV https://t.co/LGzjOcHLH6
— Jeff Deal (@JDealWFTV) March 4, 2021
Orange County Public Schools sent out an email to employees Thursday letting them know the news.
“I actually went home crying, I was in tears and that announcement today just made it… I was happy, you just don’t understand. I wish you could see my smile right now,” West Orange High School teacher Yukeeba Mays said.
READ: CVS, Walmart & Publix offering COVID-19 vaccines to all teachers, school employees
Elementary school teacher Maresa McNeill said she too was almost brought to tears hearing she’d be able to receive the vaccine.
“I was so excited, literally almost cried because I’ve got a daughter that I have to consider and I have a senior mom so I definitely feel more confident coming in to work now and going around my family,” McNeill said.
The FEMA site at Valencia College is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily dolling out up to 2,000 doses a day.
READ: Here’s the form medically vulnerable Floridians need to fill out to get a vaccine
There is also a federally run site at Engelwood Neighborhood Center, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. though Sunday able to vaccinate up to 500 people a day. The site closed around 2:30 p.m. Thursday after meeting capacity.
This morning, @GovRonDeSantis confirmed that all K-12 school employees, regardless of age, are eligible to receive the #COVID19vaccine at Florida federal distribution sites. All OCPS employees must bring their OCPS ID. A list of the federal sites was sent to all employees today. pic.twitter.com/S5JDhSdDM7
— ocpsnews (@OCPSnews) March 4, 2021
A new FEMA site will open at Kelly Park on Sunday and remain open through March 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
There are no appointments at these federally run sites. Vaccines are given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Skywitness 9 flew over the Valencia College site Thursday morning. See that footage below:
WATCH LIVE: Long lines are forming at a local FEMA vaccination siteWATCH LIVE: Long lines are forming at a local FEMA vaccination site. READ >>> at.wftv.com/3e2oiHj
Posted by WFTV Channel 9 on Thursday, March 4, 2021
Watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for the latest updates on this developing story.
