COVID-19 - Updates and Vaccination Information

UPDATE on Collier County Monoclonal Antibody

On January 24, 2022, the FDA reissued the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for two monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments - bamlanivimab-etesevimab (administered together) and Regeneron - which states these treatments are not authorized for use in any U.S. state, territory, or jurisdiction at this time. The full FDA release can be found HERE.

As a result, healthcare practitioners are no longer authorized to administer these mAb treatments effective immediately. State supported mAb sites, including the site located in Collier County, are closed.

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The Collier County Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) site is open. At this time, the state has not listed the site online, however, appointments can be made by calling 239-367-3223. Once the site is listed online, appointments will be able to be made by logging on to www.patientportalfl.com.

The site is located at the former Naples Beach Club and Hotel, 852 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples, 34102.

 

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As of January 6, Collier County continues to have high community transmission with a new case positivity rate of 30.8% or 1,236.9 cases per 100,000.

Following CDC guidance, all individuals, vaccinated and unvaccinated, are encouraged to wear a mask in public indoor settings. Levels of community transmission is defined as total new cases per 100,000 in the past 7 days (low, 0-9; moderate 10-49; substantial, 50-99; high, 100+) and percentage of positive tests in the past 7 days (low, under 5%; moderate, 5-7.9%; substantial, 8-9.9%; high, 10%+).

NOTE: The Florida Department of Health in Collier County will be closed on Monday, January 17, 2022 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This includes the COVID-19 Call Center, COVID-19 testing, and COVID-19 vaccine administration.

For an interactive map of COVID cases, visit the link below:

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view?list_select_state=all_states&list_select_county=all_counties&data-type=Risk

The Florida Department of Health in Collier County provides testing daily at our Naples campus by appointment only. Contact 239-252-6220, M-F, 9:00am-5:00pm to schedule.

Commercial pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens, as well as state run sites provide testing. Rapid tests are also available at many locations throughout our county. DOH-Collier does not provide onsite rapid testing. Testing locations can be found at the link below:

https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/testing-sites/

The COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to slow the spread of the virus, decrease severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. To find a vaccine, visit: https://www.vaccines.gov/.

Omicron remains the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States. More information can be found at the link below:

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

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Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Monoclonal antibody treatments can prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death in high-risk patients who have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19. The antibodies help the immune system recognize and respond effectively to the virus. According to the treatment guidelines, they should be administered as soon as possible after diagnosis.

• Treatment is free and vaccination status does not matter. If you are 12 years and older and are at high risk for severe illness due to COVID-19, you are eligible for this treatment.
• There is currently a standing order in Florida signed by the State Surgeon General that allows patients to receive this treatment without a prescription or referral if administered by an eligible health care provider.
• In clinical trials, monoclonal antibody treatment showed a 70% reduction in hospitalization and death.
• For high-risk patients who have been exposed to someone with COVID19, Regeneron can give you temporary immunity to decrease your odds of catching the infection by over 80%.

To make an appointment https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/monoclonal-antibody-therapy/mab-locator/

For more information, call the Florida Department of Health Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Support Line: 850-344-9637.

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The DOH Mobile Unit will be onsite at the parking lot adjacent to Fire Station One located at 835 8th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102 on January 13, 2022 from 9:00A until 1:00P. Earlier information stated, there would be testing and vaccines this is no longer the case. Due to the high demand, DOH is unable to provide testing at the mobile unit, it will be vaccines and boosters only (Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson).

The Florida Department of Health in Collier County provides testing daily at our Naples campus by appointment only. Contact 239-252-6220, M-F, 9:00am-5:00pm to schedule.

As of December 30, Collier County continues to have high community transmission with a new case positivity rate of 23.5% or 718.4 cases per 100,000. Following CDC guidance, all individuals, vaccinated and unvaccinated, are encouraged to wear a mask in public indoor settings. Levels of community transmission is defined as total new cases per 100,000 in the past 7 days (low, 0-9; moderate 10-49; substantial, 50-99; high, 100+) and percentage of positive tests in the past 7 days (low, under 5%; moderate, 5-7.9%; substantial, 8-9.9%; high, 10%+).

 For an interactive map of COVID cases, click here.

The Florida Department of Health in Collier County provides testing daily at our Naples campus by appointment only. Contact 239-252-6220, M-F, 9:00am-5:00pm to schedule.1

 Commercial pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens, as well as state run sites provide testing. Rapid tests are also available at many locations throughout our county. DOH-Collier does not provide onsite rapid testing. Testing locations Click here.

 The COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to slow the spread of the virus, decrease severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. To find a vaccine, click here.

Omicron remains the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States. More information click here.

The COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to slow the spread of the virus, decrease severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. To find a vaccine, click here.

Omicron remains the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States. More information click here.

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As of December 28, CDC reports that Collier County has high community transmission with a new case positivity rate of 13.35% or 293.5 cases per 100,000. Following CDC guidance, all individuals, vaccinated and unvaccinated, are encouraged to wear a mask in public indoor settings. Levels of community transmission is defined as total new cases per 100,000 in the past 7 days (low, 0-9; moderate 10-49; substantial, 50-99; high, 100+) and percentage of positive tests in the past 7 days (low, under 5%; moderate, 5-7.9%; substantial, 8-9.9%; high, 10%+).

For an interactive map of COVID cases, click here.
 

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As of December 22, CDC reported that Collier County had substantial community transmission. For an interactive map of COVID cases, click here

As of December 27, Florida Department of Health is reporting that Collier County has a new case positivity rate of 10.4% or 290.5 cases per 100,000, This is considered high community transmission. Levels of community transmission is defined as total new cases per 100,000 in the past 7 days (low, 0-9; moderate 10-49; substantial, 50-99; high, 100+) and percentage of positive tests in the past 7 days (low, under 5%; moderate, 5-7.9%; substantial, 8-9.9%; high, 10%+). Following CDC guidance, all individuals, vaccinated and unvaccinated, are encouraged to wear a mask in public indoor settings.

Please note: DOH-Collier will be closed Thursday, December 30, 2021 through Sunday, January 2, 2022. COVID-19 testing will close at 12pm on Wednesday, December 29, 2021. The holiday closure includes testing, vaccine administration, and the COVID-19 Call Center. Commercial pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens, as well as state run sites will provide testing. Rapid tests are also available at many locations throughout our county. For testing locations click here

The COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to slow the spread of the virus, decrease severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. To find a vaccine near you, click here

DOH-Collier will resume business on Monday, January 3, 2022.

Latest COVID-19 Stats for the Collier County area, click here.

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A MESSAGE FROM DOH-COLLIER

COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are available for the following Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients who completed their initial series at least 6 months ago and are:

• 65 years and older
• Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
• Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
• Age 18+ who work in high-risk settingsAge 18+ who live in high-risk settings

To learn more about the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots, Click Here

Visit vaccines.gov where you can find clinics, pharmacies, and other locations that offer the COVID-19 vaccine. You may also:

Text your zip code to 438829
Call 800-232-0233
Click here for locations

FIND A VACCINE NEAR YOU
The COVID-19 vaccine remains the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death. The vaccine is available on a walk-in basis at DOH-Collier, M-F, 9a-4p. The vaccine is also readily available throughout our community.

Visit vaccines.gov where you can find clinics, pharmacies, and other locations that offer the COVID-19 vaccine.

Text your zip code to 438829. Call 800-232-0233.

Florida Department of Health Vaccine Finder. For more information click here
 

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COVID-19 Vaccination Record

 

To request your COVID-19 vaccination records:  

• Ask your healthcare provider: All providers administering vaccinations use or are connected to Florida SHOTS. Your provider should be able to access Florida SHOTS and generate your Immunization History from your records.  
• Ask your local county health department: If your healthcare provider is not participating in Florida SHOTS, then you can contact you nearest local county health department and request your immunization history from your records. All county health departments have access to Florida SHOTS. 
• Submit your request directly to Florida SHOTS: You can request your COVID-19 vaccination records directly from Florida SHOTS by filling out the Florida Department of Health form – DH3203 Authorization to Disclose Confidential Information form online, electronically sign and submit it.  

To fill out the form online and submit, click here. 

Note: This form is for use only by individuals aged 18 years and over to request their own COVID-19 vaccination record. DO NOT use this form to request records for another individual. Each individual is responsible for their own request. Currently, records of minors (aged 17 years and below) are not available through this request portal. Please contact your healthcare provider or local county health department to request records for minor. 

 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC)

On Wednesday, July 28, 2021, the CDC has updated their guidance regarding masks and COVID-19. Updates include:

• Universal masking is recommended for K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status
                  This includes students, teachers, staff, visitors
                  Children should resume in-person instruction with prevention measures in place
• Those who are fully vaccinated should wear face coverings in public indoor settings where the virus is spreading rapidly
                  The state of Florida is considered an area with high transmission
• Community leaders should encourage people to receive the vaccine

 

The best way to protect yourself and your community is to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There is no charge for the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine helps to reduce the spread of the virus, severe illness, and death.

The vaccine is readily available throughout our community, including at DOH-Collier. DOH-Collier administers the Moderna vaccine to those aged 18 years and older.

The Pfizer vaccine, for those aged 12 years and older, is available at the Winn Dixie Mall, 1500 Lake Trafford Road, Immokalee, on Saturday, July 31 from 9am-12pm.

Click here for frequently asked questions about COVID-19 Guidelines, Variants, Vaccines

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Vaccinations are now available to the public. The City of Naples encourages anyone who is interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccination to click here and check the DOH-Collier County website for any updated appointment information. 

 

The DOH-Collier County has established a call center that will be open Monday-Sunday from 9 am – 5 pm. The phone number for the call center is 239-252-6220.

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UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COVID-19

GUIDANCE FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE

When are you fully vaccinated?

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated: 

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

If you do not meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

Choosing Safer Activities

• If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
• Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
• If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, find a vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

These recommendations can help you make decisions about daily activities after you are fully vaccinated. They are not intended for healthcare settings.

If you have been fully vaccinated:

• You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
• You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
  • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
  • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
  • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
  • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
• If you have been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
  • However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you do not have symptoms.

What should we keep doing?

For now if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses.
• If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. You will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.  Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested 3 days before travel by air into the United States (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
• People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should talk to their healthcare provider to discuss their activities. They may need to keep taking all precautions to prevent COVID-19.

What we know:

• COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.
• COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading COVID-19.

What We’re Still Learning

• How effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.
• How well the vaccines protect people with weakened immune systems, including people who take immunosuppressive medications.
• How long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.