Manatee County pharmacies to begin distributing COVID-19 vaccine

Eighteen Manatee County pharmacies will begin distributing COVID-19 vaccines as soon as Feb. 12, according to Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur.

Pharmacies can vaccinate only Florida residents age 65 or older and healthcare workers providing local health services, per an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Seventeen Publix and one Winn-Dixie will be allotted approximately 384 vaccine doses each per week for a total of 6,912, in addition to the doses administered in the county by the Florida Department of Health. Saur said the state of Florida has not yet told Manatee County which locations will be selected for vaccine distribution.

An undetermined number of Publix stores in Sarasota County also will be distributing vaccines, the retail chain said. 

Publix and similar stores have been distributing vaccines in some Florida counties for weeks. Saur said the state determines which counties can begin partnering with Publix based on the size of the county and the efficiency with which it has distributed vaccines.

Registration is completed through the Publix or Winn-Dixie website and is separate from the county's Vaccination Standby Pool, according to Saur.