By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Ninety people were scheduled to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations at the Levy County Department of Health in Bronson Tuesday on the first day of the program, with a total of 500 to be vaccinated by week’s end.

            But officials in other county agencies received calls from people frustrated about getting a busy signal when they called the health department, Levy County Commissioners said on Tuesday. They met in regular session.

            Mark Johnson, acting public information officer for the Levy County Department of Health said the agency has 500 vials of vaccine available this week and all 500 vials are committed to people who made appointments to get a shot.

            The agency won’t be taking additional reservations until more vaccine arrives late this week or early next week.

            “We had 500 vials and we are booked. We tell people just keep trying to call. We’re not running out of vaccine. It’s going to be available. We’re just serving people 65 and older,” he said.

            Johnson said he was aware many residents got a busy signal when they dialed the health department number. One man told a reporter at A&A Restaurant that he dialed 101 times from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and never got through. He showed a reporter his phone to prove it. Actually,

 he dialed about 15 times after that.

            “Every health department is interlocked with the phone system and the phone system blew up yesterday with people calling into every county – it just went down,” Johnson said of the computerized phone system. “Until this thing settles out it’s going to be pretty rough.”

            A steady trickle of residents 65 and older arrived at the front entrance to the health department in Bronson for the opening day of vaccinations, many of them carrying registration forms they filled out in advance. By 2:30 p.m., 60 people had been vaccinated and more were arriving in the chilly afternoon wind.

            Some folks without reservations were driving to the health department to find out if there were any openings.

            “What’s happening now, people are driving over, we’re talking to folks here; we’re booked up for the week. We’re waiting for the next supply of vaccine to come in. It could come in tomorrow, but we’re not taking any more bookings until the vaccine arrives. Until it comes in, we can’t book,” Johnson said.

            Johnson said the Gilchrist County Department of Health has 900 vials of vaccine. He said health officials in Levy County are encouraging their residents to call either Dixie County or Gilchrist County Health Departments to find out if they can get vaccinated at one of those locations. All three health departments are operated by the same administrator.

            The Moderna vaccine is given in two shots. The second shot occurs 28 days after the first. Johnson said it’s his understanding the first dose gives the recipient 80 percent protection and the second raises the level of protection to 95 percent. He said it is an excellent vaccine. He said there will be additional vials of vaccine arriving for residents who need their second shot in 28 days.

            When residents receive their shots they are observed for 15 minutes to make sure they aren’t experiencing a reaction.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting January 5, 2021; Posted January 5, 2021