ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — When the COVID-19 vaccine became available to all adults April 5, sites across the Florida saw a huge demand. As the end of April approaches, that isn’t the case.

What You Need To Know

  • Florida vaccine sites saw increased demand earlier this month

  • Now, demand seems to have tapered off

  • Orange County Convention Center site was not as busy as in the past

  • In Orange County, 36% of people have been vaccinated

​Michael Fowler was at the Orange County Convention Center to receive his second dose of the vaccine Thursday.

“I am excited, hoping I won’t have any symptoms but looking forward to being fully vaccinated,” Fowler said.

Fowler said the line was a lot of shorter.

“The first time I came it was about an hour through the line,” he said. “And this was 8 minutes through the line. But I am concerned it’s tapering off. The people who really want to get it now seem to have it, is what I felt like when I went through the line just now and saw how much less demand there was today.”

There was a big spike when the vaccine was made available to all adults on April 5, but now, it’s starting to plateau.

“It's a difficult time for the vaccines coming up because usually people who prefer or want to be vaccinated they went got themselves vaccinated, now we are talking people who are hesitant, reluctant or don't have resources to reach the vaccine centers,” Dr. Sajid Chaudhary said.

Chaudhary says overcoming hesitancy could push closer to herd immunity.​

In Orange and Volusia counties, 36% of people have been vaccinated. Seminole County is at 35%.

Chaudhary says in order to try to reach herd immunity, which is 70-80%, county and religious leaders need to continue go out in community and encourage people to get the vaccine.

“It’s not one thing we can say would work, it’s a coordinated mass campaign at every level to get up the target level,” Chaudhary said.