Hillsborough BOCC Vice Chair Kimberly Overman wants to extend the mask mandate in Hillsborough County to now include outdoor dining space. The County Commission will discuss that proposed amendment at today’s meeting, along with more on the local state of emergency at the 10:15 am meeting. If it’s approved it would go into effect immediately.
University Mall will become the next state-run site from the Florida Department of Health and Florida Division of Emergency Management for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. It will be by appointment only with 1,600 doses available. The site will be open seven days a week from 8 am to 4 pm for those 65 and older and frontline workers. Make an appointment by calling 1-866-200-3896 (TTY 1-833-476-1029).
Over 11,000 new coronavirus cases were added to the state total of more than 1.6 million. The new 11,914 cases brought the state total to 1,601,011 with 24,578 Florida resident deaths. To check where the vaccine is available in your county click here, and If you have questions on who is eligible to receive the vaccination and where to sign up check with the Florida Department of Health here. The COVID-19 Call Center is available 24/7 by calling 1-866-779-6121.
Publix is about to have more than 100 locations for vaccine distribution, but none of them are in the Tampa Bay area. Publix Pharmacies in Martin, Monroe, Brevard, Lee, Charlotte, and Palm Beach are now vaccine sites along with Citrus, Hernando and Marion counties. Governor DeSantis said they’ve get around to the Bay area “eventually.”
The Florida Department of Health is concerned that people aren’t showing up for their second dose of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. Over 41,000 people are overdue for the necessary second dose which can give you up to 95% effectiveness against contracting COVID-19. Without that second dose it falls to 50%.
More good news for the endangered right whale population with a woman spotting a whale and her calf playing with a pod of dolphins off Melbourne Beach last week. Marine Resources Council Right Whale Monitoring keeps an eye on the population and apparently knows not only the mother but the calf who is named Harmonia. If you do spot a whale call the 888-97-WHALE hotline.
One more win and the Bucs return to Tampa to be the first home team to play in the Super Bowl. But first it’s the the NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay Sunday at 3:05 pm.
Cox Media Group