Mass vaccinations at long-term care facilities underway in Florida

ORLANDO, FL - Monday was day one of mass vaccinations at long-term care facilities in Florida. Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy were tasked with the job.

"It will be the best day ever," said Carviz Carlos, owner of Gracious Age Assisted Living.

Carviz Carlos is awaiting the day residents at his assisted living facility get the COVID-19 shot. The owner of Gracious Age Assisted Living in Sanford says the past year has been heartbreaking.

"The residents are just very depressed, they want to see their families and they can’t," said Carlos.

But Monday, hope began pouring into long-term care facilities across Florida. Walgreens and CVS beginning their on-site vaccine clinics, taking the life-saving injection directly to those most vulnerable.

"I always prayed that would be the situation or scenario because it’s very difficult logistic-wise to actually transport each patient from the facility up to the CVS clinic,: said Carlos.

Carlos says 99 percent of residents at his facility plan to get the shot.

"We’re actually impacting lives as we do this incredible effort," said Ahmed Velez, Regional Director, CVS Pharmacy.

When it’s all said and done, CVS says it will have administered 358,000 coronavirus vaccines at 3,300 long-term care facilities in the sunshine state.

"We’re just thrilled that we’re part of this," said Velez.

CVS tells FOX 35, the state evenly distributed the doses and gave the greenlight to start injections today.

"We’ve been preparing for this moment in time for months now," said Velez.

The pharmacy chain will return to each facility to provide the second dose.

"We’re keeping track of all that and we’re going to make sure that everyone gets the vaccine the way it’s intended to be given," said Velez.

CVS will also be vaccinating all staff members at the long-term care facilities during their visit.