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Older Floridians Navigate State s Chaotic COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

The state was the first to offer shots to everyone 65 and older Now other states are following suit

Cars line up as people wait to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-thru vaccination site in Clermont, Fla. SOPA Images / Getty Images When Neil Rosenberg, 76, heard that vaccines would be available to everyone 65 and older in Florida, he pulled into high gear trying to get a vaccination appointment. He called his county public health department and searched for information online but was met with busy signals and crashing county public health websites. “I cried in frustration,” he said. He learned from the news on TV that shots were being offered through the county health department at Vista View Park in Davie, not too far from Kings Point, the Broward County retirement community where he lives with his wife, Susan. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Kings Point managed to on the community campus earlier than his appointment at Vista View Park, so he signed up for one. "I tried and tried to get through to the other site to cancel but couldn't,” Rosenberg says. “I'm sure the dose didn't go to waste, but I feel guilty." These days Rosenberg is helping friends and family who are having trouble navigating the vaccination process in Florida, the first state to offer COVID-19 vaccines to adults age 65-plus. Governor Ron DeSantis bucked federal recommendations to limit the vaccination to those 75 and older, after nursing home residents and staff and frontline health care workers. Today more states are following Florida's lead. The federal government this week urged states everywhere to open vaccines to those 65 and older. So, Rosenberg's advice now applies to Americans beyond Florida. “You can't wait until it's in the paper or on the news,” he says. “If you do, all the doses will be gone." Florida's vaccine rollout has been chaotic. The governor and county officials have blamed each other for the failures that included national news of wealthy out-of-staters, known as COVID tourists, allegedly getting shots at nursing homes or elsewhere, skipping ahead of residents. Florida has received nearly 2 million doses of vaccine but has administered less than half, about 775,000 so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among , Florida ranks 23rd in the percentage of vaccines administered. Pictures of long lines of Florida older adults on scooters, or in wheelchairs, walkers or folding chairs, waiting for hours in the unaccustomed chilly winter air, have surfaced in the national news in recent weeks. And even as more vaccines are available and more vaccination sites open up, getting an appointment is still difficult. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > But with nearly 4.5 million residents age 65-plus, many older Floridians find themselves constantly trolling websites of nearby counties for vaccine availability. Then they call, often using multiple phones. It sounds like the Hunger Games for seniors. Rosenberg told a 74-year-old friend, Paul, a Sarasota man who asked to be identified by his middle name only. Paul had been searching five counties when Rosenberg told him about the Vista View Park appointments. Paul got his appointment quickly, though almost canceled it when he wasn't able to get an appointment for his 70-year-old spouse. "I felt deflated,” Paul says about getting himself vaccinated. “I wasn't going to go if she couldn't get one, too, but she said I had to.” The two packed a cooler with turkey sandwiches, cheese and crackers before heading out on a 400-mile round trip vaccine vacation, planning to make as few stops as possible and to not spend the night on the road. They didn't take much to drink, he says. Once they arrived, Paul explained his spouse's problem and the technician had her fill out the paperwork and gave her a shot as well. The state also gave vaccines to certain hospitals across the state, which emailed patients registration directions, following up when appointments became available. DeSantis announced this week that some churches and some Publix grocery-chain pharmacies would begin offering the vaccines, while more counties have set up vaccination clinics in retirement communities. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS