Seniors sleep in their cars to wait for COVID-19’s vaccination event in Volusia County

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Seniors in Volusia County started more than 19 hours before the gates would open Tuesday for day two of a first-come, first-served COVID-19 vaccination event.

Cars lined up in front of Daytona Stadium before 2pm Monday, well before Tuesday’s state-run event.

Daytona Beach city officials said that since people already started camping for Tuesday’s vaccination event, to ensure their safety, the crew let the first 1,000 people enter Daytona Beach Stadium on Monday night at 7 p.m.

City officials hope the change will remove people from the roadway and help with the early traffic congestion on LPGA Boulevard and surrounding roads.

Toilets are available in the stadium.

Temporary agency workers are expected to decline on Monday nights in the Daytona Beach area into the 1940s.

At 11 p.m. Monday, 700 people entered Daytona Stadium.

“I’m here with books and food and a chair and just hang out,” said 67-year-old James Engelbrecht.

Engelbrecht said he is tired of being isolated.

“I just want the vaccine to clear my life up a little bit,” he said.

Judy Marquette, 74, said she’s going to camp until we get the vaccine.

“We are so afraid of getting sick because we may not recover at our age,” she said.

Health Department spokeswoman Patricia Boswell said Volusia County is trying to establish an infrastructure that supports an appointment system.

“We will hold off on our assignment for this week before committing to our next site,” Boswell said.

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Authorities had to open the gates early on Monday and send others away because of the demand for the coronavirus vaccine.

The Florida Department of Health offers Free Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to people 65 and older.

Patricia Boswell, of the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County, asked residents to be patient as leaders walk through the process.

“This is our first event. Demand is extraordinarily high, supply extraordinarily low, ”she said.

The vaccine distribution plan would like the senior community to be first in line.

“We are seniors, all we want is the vaccine,” said 67-year-old Fayna Ludz. “Please give us the vaccine.”

Lowell Croll, of New Smyrna Beach, said he hasn’t taken a trip in two years to visit his children in Massachusetts.

“I’m 84 and I have heart problems,” he said. “I’m fine, but I don’t want to get (COVID-19). I don’t want to take any chances. We are ready to do whatever we need to do. “

Kathy Faddis was one of those who received the injection on Monday. She said she hopes things will be more efficient in the future.

“As this goes on and they get to grips with how to do it, it will be even smoother,” she said. “For the first time, I think they did a great job.”