Jackson Health To Expand COVID-19 Vaccination For Florida Residents Age 55 With Specific Medical Conditions
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Jackson Health System announced on Friday the expansion of Jackson's vaccination criteria to include Florida residents age 55 and older with specific medical conditions.
Jackson Health System's president and CEO Carlos Migoya says no longer will they just be vaccinating Florida residents age 65 and older. They are opening up vaccine appointments to other age groups.
"We will also be taking care of people over 55 with 13 specific medical conditions," said Migoya.
"The reason why we have taken this decision is because we have not gotten to the point that we have been doing several weeks of people over 65 and we're seeing a slowness and people over 65 coming up with appointments," said Migoya.
Jackson officials said they identified the following conditions to be associated with the most serious risks of COVID-19:
· Breast Cancer
· Cardiomyopathy
· Congestive Heart Failure
· COPD
· Coronary artery disease with bypass
· Down Syndrome
· End-stage renal failure
· Leukemia
· Lung cancer
· Lymphoma
· Morbid obesity, defined as a body mass index above 40
· Sickle cell disease
· Solid organ transplant recipient
Jackson officials said that starting next week, those eligible can obtain an appointment via Jackson's online portal by visiting jacksonhealth.org.
"We will most likely start taking appointments online next Tuesday for appointments on Wednesday. Jackson will continue to update the public on appointment availability via Twitter and Instagram: @JacksonHealth," officials said.
In order to be eligible, they ask you to show proof of Florida residency, provide a doctor's note, which must show the patient's name, the medical condition they're being treated for, the physician's recommendation/order for a COVID-19 vaccine, and the doctor's signature.
Jackson Health System says that over the last two months, they have vaccinated more than 85,000 people, including Florida residents age 65 and older, and patients under 64 with specific medical conditions.
