ORLANDO, Fla. — Plans to switch FEMA-supported vaccination sites to second-dose-only operations this week have been delayed.

The state of Florida has decided to continue to allow first-dose vaccinations, rather than move to second doses only.

The FEMA-supported vaccination sites were supposed to switch to administering only second doses of the Pfizer vaccine on March 24. 

Instead, the four FEMA hub sites will continue to donate 500 Pfizer vaccines for first doses every day, between March 24 and April 14.

The state came to this decision after evaluating the current vaccine supply.

After this, the FEMA sites will only offer second doses of the vaccine, starting April 7. 

Margret Jamchi and her husband were happy to get their first shot of the vaccine at the FEMA site at Valencia College’s West Campus. They even put together a video for social media of their experience. They say this is one big step closer to getting back to a normal life.

“I look forward to normal kind of traveling, getting together with friends in larger groups, and have a normal life again,” said Jamchi.

But the Jamchis had to wait their turn. They’re in their 50s, so beginning Monday they were eligible under revised state guidelines.

That also allowed Scott Bennett, who is also in his 50s, to get his first shot Monday.

“Well I was excited," he said. "I want to get it done and get it over with, and move on with my life like, I guess, everybody else does."

The lowering of the age eligibility drove demand higher at the FEMA site, which allows pre-registering but not appointments. By three o’clock on Monday, it had administered shots to about 2,000 people.

Site administrators say that’s a bit earlier than recent days.

Isabel Barrios was proud to show off her COVID-19 vaccination card, having waited a long time to get it.

“Don’t be scared to get the shot,” Barrios said in Spanish.  

Her husband, Alfredo Ledezma, says he knows some Hispanics are hesitant about getting the vaccine, but he wants to encourage minority communities to get vaccinated.

“We can’t be the carriers of COVID. One can be asymptomatic. We have to follow through,” Ledezma said. 

They also got their shots at the Valencia West Campus, which is run at the federal level as part of an effort to increase vaccine access. 

“To reach underserved populations within the state of Florida, so, they set up four sites across the state, including this one here at Valencia College. It is a temporary location,” said Andrea Schuch, a spokesperson for the Valencia College vaccination site.

There is a possibility that the location will remain open past April 28, but officials say that depends on vaccine allocations and resource availability.

Barrios, who was a nurse in Venezuela, said being able to get vaccinated was a blessing.

“People need to be conscious, they should get vaccinated," she said. "The vaccine doesn’t harm you, it will protect you."  

The FEMA supported site plans to offer the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine to Floridians during its last two weeks: April 14 – 28.