Congressman Soto, State Rep. Morales Mull Mass Vaccination Sites in Their Districts
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) – US Congressman Darren Soto (D-10) and Florida State Representative Daisy Morales (D-48) shared their ambitions for mass vaccinations during Morales’s vaccination event in Azalea Park Saturday. Soto appeared at Jesus de Nazaret Episcopal Church, Morales’s longtime site for food and clothing distribution events for District 48 families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which she also chose as the site for Saturday’s vaccination event for her district.
Morales teamed up with several elected officials and community organizations, including Father Jose Rodriguez of Jesus de Nazaret Episcopal Church; State Reps. Carlos G. Smith (D-49) and Anna Eskamani (D-47), the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and others to vaccinate up to 500 people.
State Senator Linda Stewart (D-13), whose district the church is also in, made an early visit to talk with residents at the church and shared her own COVID-19 vaccine experience with them, encouraging them to take it as well.
Residents registered for appointments for Saturday’s vaccination event at Bravo Supermarket and Sedano’s Supermarkets in District 48. Since many in the Hispanic community frequent those stores, residents found it convenient to register there the traditional way–by hand–removing the barriers for those who aren’t tech savvy, which applied to many of the older residents in the community who would need the vaccine.
Finding Bigger Sites for the COVID-19 Vaccine
When Florida National News asked Congressman Soto about mass vaccination sites, he noted that once the state of Florida moved into Phase 3–which opens up vaccines to the remainder of the general public–his priority will be the arenas and stadiums, including Osceola Heritage Park in Osceola, Camping World Stadium, and other large venues in Osceola and Polk counties.
State Rep. Morales told the news media on Saturday that she has two other sites in her district in mind to offer for mass vaccinations. While there are no arenas in her district, she told Florida National News of two sites she’s already secured with the capacity to vaccinate 3,000 people per day.
For Morales, this is personal, both from a medical and senior care standpoint, having been the sole guardian for her mother and her special needs sister before they both passed away. Additionally, she is a member on the Orange County Disability Board and an elder ambassador.
“It’s important that we make sure the underserved community gets the vaccine,” said Morales Saturday. “I’m here to serve people, and I want to make sure they get what they need.”
Rep. Morales’s next District 48 COVID-19 vaccination event for ages 65 and older will take place Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
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Mellissa Thomas is Editor for Florida National News. | mellissa.thomas@floridanationalnews.com