Some Mass Vaccination Sites Closing, Consolidating In The Greater Tampa Bay Region

As more smaller vaccination sites become available and interest in the vaccine wanes, several counties are making plans to scale back their vaccination sites.

Hillsborough County announced that the University Mall testing site is closing as of Friday, May 21, as County Emergency Management Director Tim Dudley cited a downward trend in the county's positivity rate and number of cases to county commissioners during a May 19 board meeting.

The testing site at the Lee Davis Community Resource Center, 3402 N. 22nd St., is scheduled to close June 30.

Maggie Hall with the Florida Department of Health Pinellas said when the sites first opened, there was big demand to vaccinate many people as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“As you have more availability of sites, there's less of a need for huge, larger site to be there to provide vaccines,” Hall said.

Now that vaccines are widely available at pharmacies and other community locations, the larger sites will begin consolidating operations this month.

Hall said they’ve also seen less demand for the vaccine.

“There is a softening of demand. It isn’t the huge demand we saw first with the seniors. But then again, there's a whole lot more vaccine available," she said. "Before that there was a huge demand, but not as many vaccines and now we've got a lot of vaccines.”

Pharmacies were ordered to allow walk-in vaccine appointments this week as President Joe Biden announced a new goal to administer at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to 70% of American adults by the Fourth of July.

As of Wednesday, 14,981,650 doses in Florida have been administered of the three vaccines approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration. There's been a total of 9,037,042 people vaccinated, with 6,533,066 people having completed the full series.

Click here to find a vaccination site near you.

Changes in county-run sites:

Pinellas County

• The Pinellas Park site at 4951 78th Ave. N. closed for first doses on April. 30. It will close after second doses are completed.
• The Central Pinellas site at 1197 E. Bay Dr., Largo, will also be closing on Friday, May 7
• The Center for Health Equity at 2333 34th St. S., St. Petersburg, will remain open during weekdays until further notice. Appointments are made via the CDR Maguire Patient Portal at www.PatientPortalFL.com.

Manatee County

• Tom Bennett Park in Bradenton — there are no other vaccine events scheduled at Tom Bennett and officials will meet soon to decide whether to close the site.
• The Manatee County Public Safety Center held its last day of second doses on April 30 and then closed. Appointments stand for anyone who has a second dose scheduled.

Hillsborough County

• Raymond James Stadium, Lot 14
  • 4201 N. Himes, Tampa, FL 33607
  • Daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Offers Pfizer
  • Offers second Pfizer dose to anyone who is in need of one
  • Vehicle not required

• Tampa Greyhound Track
  • 755 E. Waters Ave., Tampa, FL 33604
  • Daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Offers Johnson & Johnson
  • Offers second Pfizer dose to those who received first dose at this location
  • Vehicle not required

• Children's Board
  • 1002 E Palm Ave, Tampa, FL 33605
  • Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Closed 4th Thursday of each month
    • Closed May 14th
  • Offers Pfizer
  • No vehicle required

• Larry Sanders Sports Complex
  • 5855 S. 78^th Street, Tampa, FL 33619
  • Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Offers Pfizer
  • Vehicle required (drive-thru)
  • First-dose vaccinations are first come.

• TPepin’s Hospitality Centre
  • 4121 N. 50^th Street, Tampa, FL 33610
    • Enter the location via Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and follow directional signs to the parking area.
  • Offers Pfizer
  • No Vehicle required (indoor location)
  • First-dose vaccinations are first come.

• USF Yuengling Center Parking Lot - appointments required
  • 12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa, FL 33617
  • Offers Pfizer
  • Vehicle required (drive-thru)
  • To make an appointment: Tampa VA Events | Eventbrite
  • More information: VA Website – COVID-19 vaccines for Community

Pasco County

• Only second-dose vaccinations will be provided through the month of May at both DOH-Pasco drive-thru vaccination sites. No more first-dose vaccine will be offered at these locations.
  • Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Saint Leo University
  • Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sears, Gulf View Square Mall

• Beginning Monday, May 3, vaccination appointments will be available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Dade City clinic located at 13941 15th St., Dade City, FL 33525.

• Beginning Tuesday, May 11, vaccination appointments will be available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the New Port Richey clinic located at 10841 Little Rd., New Port Richey, FL 34654.