SJR State College, church partner to co-host vaccine site March 26

St. Johns River State College’s Palatka campus will serve as a COVID-19 vaccination site March 26. Preregistration is required.

A state-managed COVID-19 vaccination site will bring 400 vaccines to Putnam County residents later this month.

St. Johns River State College and Mt. Tabor First Baptist Church are partnering to host the site March 26. Preregistration is required for the one-day event, which is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Viking Center on the Palatka campus, 5001 St. Johns Ave.

SJR State Executive Vice President Melissa Miller said the Florida Division of Emergency Management contacted her regarding possible locations to provide greater access to the vaccine.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to serve the community in this capacity,” Miller said.

To qualify for the vaccine, residents must be either:

* Age 60-plus.

* A health care worker with direct patient contact.

* K-12 school employee age 50-plus.

* Sworn law enforcement officer age 50-plus.

* Firefighter age 50-plus.

To preregister, residents can call the college at 312-4106, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The college will be closed for spring break March 15-19. Residents can also call 328-6898 and choose “option 2” or “option 3,” Tuesday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those seeking vaccines and have preregistered should bring ID to confirm their age, and/or documentation to prove their eligibility.

According to the FDEM, people who are under age 60 and are extremely medically vulnerable or have serious underlying medical conditions are not recommended for this vaccination event.

FDEM said they should seek vaccinations elsewhere, after a physician has made that determination and provided the documentation, which may be either on the Florida Department of Health form or a doctor’s note.

Proper social distancing will be implemented on campus to ensure the safety and well-being of residents and health care workers. Masks are also required on campus.

The state Department of Health in Putnam County reported three new virus cases Thursday. There were no new hospitalizations.

The community testing site is at 1101 Husson Ave., with gates opening at 8:30 a.m. today.