Flagler County

Flagler County making plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccine, fight misinformation on social media

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Flagler County emergency management officials are finalizing plans to not only distribute the COVID-19 vaccine but also to fight misinformation about it that’s circulating on social media.

Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord said the county expects to receive the vaccine this week.

READ: Stimulus update: Agreement on $900B COVID-19 relief package reached with leaner $600 direct payments

Flagler County will follow the state’s plan and vaccinate frontline health care workers and those in nursing homes first, followed by first responders and at risk groups before it hits the general public.

When the vaccine is finally available to the public, Lord said the county fairgrounds’ Cattleman Hall will be the main distribution site. He said they will also use churches and parking lot locations from sites where it currently does testing.

READ: Florida reports more than 11,015 new COVID-19 cases, 115 virus-related deaths

Once testing plans are in place, Lord said the next obstacle will be fighting misinformation to make sure people get it.

“Once we’ve gotten over the obstacle of availability of the vaccine the next obstacle, we are going to have to worry about is misinformation,” Lord said.

READ: ‘The light at the end of the tunnel’: First COVID-19 vaccines administered at AdventHealth Daytona Beach

He said the county is doing its best to combat that misinformation and reassure people the vaccine is safe.


Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.