NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A new federal mass vaccination site at Miami-Dade College’s North Campus is scheduled to open on Wednesday, and officials said the site is a great way to get the vaccine to people who need it the most.
Dozens of National Guard members could be seen at the site on Tuesday, and officials said the site will administer 2,000 doses every day. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also released photos of the vaccine arriving to the new site.
“We are glad, and we are proud to have this site right here at the north campus to be able to reach so many people that need access to this vaccine,” MDC North Interim President Fermin Vazquez said.
“We will be doing the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine here starting tomorrow,” Florida Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Bruce Roberts said.
Following two executive orders from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Jackson Health, Miami-Dade’s largest public hospital, expanded requirements for who can receive the vaccine. The healthcare system announced they will start to schedule appointments for anyone over 50 years old with a doctor’s note.
“We are no longer just going with the 13 medical conditions that the CDC recommended,” Jackson Health CEO Carlos Migoya said. “As of tomorrow, anyone over 50 years of age will need a doctor’s note, who, under the doctor’s recommendation, this patient has medical conditions that are high risk if infected by COVID, and therefore, the doctor is recommending vaccination.”
DeSantis defended Florida’s response to the pandemic during his State of the State address on Tuesday.
“The cases and hospitalizations for seniors in Florida have plummeted as vaccinations have increased,” DeSantis said. “Since Jan. 30, the number of seniors hospitalized for COVID has declined by 80%, and cases amongst seniors have declined by 71%. Florida was right to prioritize the elderly. Seniors first works.”
Meanwhile, the Overtown Youth Center is up and running and open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with no appointment necessary.
“We’re providing a very precious resource like vaccinations to an area that, historically, has not had the same amount of resources as other places,” Overtown Youth Center Director Gerardo Castillo said.
Officials said they have the capacity to give out 200 shots per day, but they have so far administered only about half.
“People being able to see a COVID vaccination site in an African American community. It’s monumental,” Overtown Youth Center CEO Tina Brown said.
In about three weeks, officials at the MDC North vaccination site said they will distribute 5,000 doses of the vaccine every day.
If you would like to pre-register for a vaccine at the new site, click here.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.