Important Updates Regarding Facts about COVID-19

As a trusted source of information on vaccines, health care providers play a critical role in helping their patients understand the importance of vaccination. This is especially important for patients who are more vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19, including those age 65 and older. As you see patients in your practices who have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, please consider utilizing some of these helpful resources to provide them with facts and information about vaccination.

All individuals age 12 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for individuals age 12 or older. All Florida residents age 18 or older are eligible to receive any COVID-19 vaccine as prescribed by the FDA.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkits to help promote vaccine confidence. These toolkits are designed to help health care providers and community partners share clear and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines and address common questions and concerns.

Several printable fact sheets are included in this toolkit:

How mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Work
How Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines Work
Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

Other helpful resources include:

To become a COVID-19 vaccine provider, your practice or organization must be enrolled in the Florida State Health Online Tracking System (Florida SHOTS) and the Vaccines for Children/Adults Program (VFC/VFA). For questions or additional information, please contact the COVID-19 Vaccine Enrollment Desk at 833-701- 1397, or email CovidVaccineProgram@flhealth.gov. Click here to view the flyer with enrollment instructions.

Also, click here for instructions on how to order COVID-19 vaccines in Florida SHOTS.

Florida SHOTS has a number of trainings available to help providers. These trainings can be accessed by visiting https://flshotsusers.com.

If your practice is not administering vaccines, Florida has many sites that are providing COVID-19 vaccines. The Florida Department of Health has developed a vaccine locator to assist individuals in finding a vaccine anywhere throughout the state. Consider encouraging patients to visit the vaccine locator to find a vaccine site near them.

As hospitals continue their ongoing operations, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is providing a reminder of flexibilities that have remained in place.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 1135 waiver, updated on May 24, 2021, providing guidance to hospitals serving patients and staff impacted by COVID-19 are still in place allowing hospitals to be flexible with their screening of patients, bed flexibilities, etc.

Click here for a complete list of regulatory flexibilities to help health care providers combat the spread of COVID-19.

Additionally, not-for-profit hospitals can apply for funding through Federal Emergency Management Agency to receive assistance with paying for additional staffing. Click here for more information.

AHCA remains committed to assisting hospital systems and other health care providers throughout the state. Please contact the Hospital and Outpatient Services Unit at 850-412-4549 if you have any questions.