Vaccinations
The Florida Dept. of Health in Charlotte County can bring a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic to your community, business, or organization. Fill out the online form to schedule a clinic at your location.
COVID-19 Vaccination Options
- Florida Dept. of Health in Charlotte County
- Publix - walk in or register online for vaccination appointments at several Charlotte County Publix supermarket locations. Appointments cannot be made by phone.
- Winn-Dixie - walk in or register online for vaccination appointments, available at select stores.
- Florida Department of Health Vaccine Locator: floridahealthcovid19.gov/vaccines/vaccine-locator
Find the Latest Information About Vaccines
- Florida Dept. of Health in Charlotte County vaccine information
- Vaccines in Forida | Latest Florida vaccine report
- Florida’s Draft COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
- General vaccine information from the CDC | CDC Vaccine FAQ
- HHS’s Operation Warp Speed webpage
Who is able to get the vaccines?
Per Governor Ron DeSantis' Executive Order 21-79, (which expands on prior Exec. Orders 20-315, 21-46, 21-47, 20-62 and 21-67) effective Monday, April 5, 2021 all Florida residents shall be eligible to receive any COVID-19 vaccine as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration.
Which vaccines are available?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Emergency Use Authorization for these COVID-19 vaccines.
Who pays for the vaccine?
Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers will be able to charge an administration fee for giving the shot to someone.
How do the vaccines work?
COVID-19 vaccines help your develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without having to get the illness. Read more about how they work and the different types of vaccines.
How did vaccines get developed and approved so quickly? Was the process rushed?
Producing vaccines is the top priority of scientists and governments around the world to help bring an end to the pandemic. While COVID-19 vaccines have been developed rapidly, all steps have been taken to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Read more about the process, trials, and authorization and find more at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services webpage.
Are the vaccines safe?
Before receiving approval for emergency use, pharmaceutical companies must provide evidence that their vaccines are safe. A team of experts from the FDA, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and other agencies review the data on safety and efficacy before recommending them for use.
Will the vaccine be safe for pregnant women and women trying to conceive?
There is limited data regarding pregnant women, women trying to conceive, breastfeeding and the COVID-19 vaccines -- find more information at the CDC website.
How long do the vaccines protect against infection?
Health care professionals and researchers are still learning about COVID-19 and new information is discovered nearly every day that is helpful in the fight against this disease. Because COVID-19 is still a relatively new virus, it is difficult to know exactly how the virus affects the body long-term and how long immunity from natural infection lasts.
Therefore, it is also difficult to predict how long a vaccine will provide protection against the virus. As the vaccines are administered and new information is gathered, additional data about how long it will protect against the virus will be made available.
Will masks still be required if you receive the vaccine?
Yes. It is important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19.
Can I bring my pet?
Only service animals are allowed in the facilities.
Myths
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine will give you COVID-19
False, the vaccine will not give you the disease, just like the flu vaccine can't give you the flu. And you can't get HPV from the HPV vaccine, and so on. Read more about how they work and the different types of vaccines.
Once you get the vaccine your body starts to develop antibodies that protect you from the virus. This process can take several weeks, so if you get the COVID-19 vaccine and shortly thereafter are exposed to the virus, you could still develop the illness — leading to the perception that you got the disease from the vaccination, which is incorrect.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine will be mandatory for everyone, no exceptions
False. Neither the federal government, nor the state of Florida require anyone to receive the coronavirus vaccine. On April 2, 2021, Gov. DeSantis issued Exec. Order 21-81 prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Passports in Florida.
Myth: The vaccines could potentially alter your DNA
False. Messenger RNA vaccines, or mRNA, work by instructing cells in the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. Despite the terminology, the vaccine cannot alter an individual’s genetic code or DNA.
Myth: Vaccines can make you sick, and cause side effects in 75% of people
False. In data from released by an independent review board, the two most common side effects were fatigue and muscle aches, both of which occurred in under 10% of participants in the Moderna vaccine trials. Pfizer-BioNTech SE’s vaccine produced even fewer side effects, with 3.8% of individuals reporting fatigue and 2% fever. These reactions typically resolve in 24 to 48 hours. They are a normal response to vaccines — one that shows it is working as intended.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines were developed using fetal tissue.
False. Current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were not created with and do not require the use of fetal cell cultures in the production process.
Myth: It's impossible to make an effective vaccine in just one year
False. It's normal and valid to worry about the speed at which the development of COVID-19 vaccines are progressing. Safety and efficacy safeguards, however, are all still in place, including clinical trials, independent review of results and federal approval. Read more about the process, trials, and authorization and find more at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services webpage.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine is a microchip so the government can track you
False. The COVID-19 vaccine will not contain any sort of microchip or tracking device implemented by the government.
Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine will make you more susceptible to other illnesses
Vaccines historically do not result in immune suppression that leaves people susceptible to various diseases. The virus itself may suppress the immune system of the host and negatively impact the host's ability to stimulate antibody production. The vaccines boost adaptive immunity.
Myth: People who already had COVID-19, don't need to get a vaccine.
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. More information
Find more myths and FAQs about COVID-19 vaccines on the CDC website.