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Delayed arrival of COVID-19 vaccine causes some residents to wait for hours Friday

Doses arrive vaccine mid-morning for 8 a.m. appointments
St.-Juliana-Catholic-Church-vaccine-site.jpg
Posted at 4:33 PM, Mar 05, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-05 18:42:05-05

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Seniors seeking their second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine Friday said they had to wait for hours after waiting for doses to arrive.

Joan Pickford and Joan Warren were prepared for their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at St. Juliana Catholic Church in West Palm Beach.

"We were going to come much earlier than this. They warned us the line was a mile long," said Pickford, a West Palm Beach resident.

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They were greeted with cars wrapped around the church perimeter, spilling into South Dixie Highway near Southern Boulevard. The two women heard about the delays from a neighbor.

Joan Pickford and Joan Warren, got COVID-19 vaccine in West Palm Beach on March 5, 2021 after delay
Joan Pickford and Joan Warren rushed to the vaccine site in West Palm Beach after long lines formed following the delayed arrival of the doses.

"It came from our friend warning me to hurry," Pickford said.

The first appointment was at 8 a.m., but complaints about the backlog stated the vaccine didn't arrive on site until mid-morning.

"They had to wait three hours because the medication wasn't here," Pickford said.

"Whatever we have to do, we'll do it," Warren said.

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Almeter Greene, receiving COVID-19 vaccine in Riviera Beach on March 5, 2021
Almeter Greene said the Well Recreation Center in Riviera Beach was crowded, but she did not have to wait to get her shot.

Further north in Riviera Beach, Almeter Greene said her appointment was on time.

"I didn't have to wait a long time. It was crowded, … but I didn’t have to wait a long time," Greene said.

The Wells Recreation Center is another Palm Beach County vaccine distribution site that was in operation Friday.

Riviera Beach Police and Fire Rescue were on site to assist with logistics but gave few details about the supply on hand.

"This is a state-run pod, so I’m not sure how many people we’re (vaccinating) today, but we always try to facilitate and get them in as quickly and safely as possible," DaWayne Watson, Master Public Information Officer/Community Risk Reduction Officer with Riviera Beach Fire Rescue.