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Publix pharmacies in Volusia County will offer coronavirus vaccine

A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Photo: Lisa Ferdinando, DOD
Office of the Secretary of Defen
Army Spc. Angel Laureano holds a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., Dec. 14, 2020. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

Twenty-two Publix pharmacies in Volusia County will begin administering the coronavirus vaccine to seniors on Thursday.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced the use of Publix pharmacies in Volusia, St. Johns, Flagler and Collier counties in addition to the eight other counties where stores are already offering the vaccine.

"We have hospitals doing a lot of vaccinations," he said during a press conference in Ponte Vedra. "We've got some of these community sites, drive-ins. And that's all good. But Publix is in every community. If we can get it more in every community, it's going to be easier for people to get the vaccines."

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Online registrations opened Wednesday at publix.com/covidvaccine. But no appointments were available as of 11:30 a.m.

New spots will open up, DeSantis says, when more vaccines can be shipped.

Joe Byrnes came to WMFE/WMFV from the Ocala Star-Banner and The Gainesville Sun, where he worked as a reporter and editor for several years. Joe graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and turned to journalism after teaching. He enjoys freshwater fishing and family gatherings.