Orange County Convention Center vaccine site at 50% due to low demand

Health officials now say the Orange County Convention Center vaccination site is operating at 50 percent because of low demand for shots. As soon as next week, officials say they may transition to multiple, smaller vaccination sites around the county.

ORLANDO, Fla. - There have been several updates in a row from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings saying the same thing.

"Currently the convention center has plenty of appointments that remain open."

So many appointments are open,

"We probably will select five, six sites around the county, distribute it to different areas, to the communities we need to increase our vaccination rates," said Dr. Raul Pino, with the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. They would be open daily for walk-ups, likely in gymnasiums or senior centers.

Health officials say in order for things to start getting back to normal, they need at least half the county’s residents vaccinated. So far, 34% of Orange County residents have received at least one shot. The focus now is on younger people getting the shot.

"In the first half of the pandemic, they were mostly asymptomatic and not requiring hospitalization, but now the virus has changed," said Dr. Pino.

They’re seeing more young people being hospitalized, which is something health officials say could be avoided with more people getting the vaccine.

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