Speak Out is a reader response column. Comments may be posted on the newspaper’s website or Facebook pages, emailed to okeenews@newszap.com or mailed to the newspaper office, 107 S.W. 17th St., Suite D, Okeechobee, FL 34974.

Vaccination appointments

• “I saw the photos on Facebook on Tuesday of all of the seniors waiting in line all night at the Okeechobee Health Department just for a chance to get an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination. This is so wrong. They should give the vaccine to Publix, CVS, Walgreens so people can make appointments online. They should also make it available to doctors so they can vaccinate all of their patients. Other counties are doing a much better job than Okeechobee. We can do better than this.” – M. Smith

• “I am 74 and in bad health. I don’t have to wait in the cold or a long line for a flu shot. Give it to the doctors and we can get it like we get our flu shot. Totally wrong to make elders wait in the cold and for hours. Surely Okeechobee can do better than this.” – Johnny Flynn

• “Making 70-year-olds wait in line for five hours! I find this unacceptable. We can do better.” – Belinda Whitman

• “I think it is completely unfair that people who do not live in the state of Florida are able to get the vaccine before our elders who live here. It’s ridiculous and they need to check addresses. If our community is giving the vaccine then our community elders who reside here should receive it first hand!” – Cathy Olivares

• “My husband and I went Tuesday morning and the man directing traffic told us there were no more left he also said people spent the night. How sad. Looking at the line with all the people of all ages some in wheelchairs and walkers it was sad to see.” – Patricia Hoanshelt

• “It is not right that the elderly should have to stand in line no matter what state they are from. There are many who can’t and there has to be a way that these vaccinations can be better set up. I know they say to be patient but, my patience has run out as I am sure many of you can relate to this. Please make it more accessible for everyone to get this vaccine.” – Janice Keister

• “I tried to take my elderly father this morning after dropping my daughter off at 6 a.m. to preschool. The line was already wrapped around the building. With his health, he couldn’t sit in the cold that long and I’m 9 months pregnant. This is absolutely ridiculous. The doctors should have the vaccine to administer to the elders not make them line up like animals in the cold outside.” – Christine Pfeifer

• “As a COVID-19 tester there are better ways to do this. I was a team lead at the Hard Rock Testing site for a very long time. Do better Okeechobee! This is unacceptable.” – Stephanie Weeks Deck

• “Mom and I got ours in Belle Glade at the health center by the courthouse. I was very impressed by it had a 10:30 appointment. No waiting. As good as Chick-fil-A service ... Thanks Melissa McKinlay and Lisa for setting it up and the fast and safe way it was done in Belle Glade for the Glades people got there at 10:15 and got right in....and by the way my mom is 100.” – JoAnn Culberson

• “Husband and I got in line at 5 a.m. At that time the line was around back of building. Everyone had their lawn chairs. It was a bit cold. We were in line for 4 1/2 hours. But we got our appointment.” – Cindy Howell

• “My 88-year-old father who is a dialysis patient, was there at 6 a.m. waiting in line outside only to not be able to get an appointment still! Unacceptable!” – Jean Napoli

• “This is totally uncalled for. Get sub zero refrigerated systems and set up at the Ag center on one day. All Okeechobee elderly remain in their cars, have a valid ID and pull up get their vaccine. Another day could be another group. This can all be done in a week period. If we have the vaccines let’s get them out. How about we get off-shift medics, nurses, volunteers, etc.” – Cat Boeckler

• “Give it to the doctors to administer. The elders should not be subjected to this hardship.” – Nana-Darlene Olivarez

• “I didn’t have family in that line but I’ve been hearing from customers that come into my barber shop how difficult it is to stand in line to get an appointment or only to stay in there for hours to get turned away because there are no appointments left. This just isn’t fair to our elderly people here. Some of them aren’t even physically able to stand for hours. They want all of us to social distance but there’s no way these elderly people are social distancing having to stand in line for hours to get an appointment. They are our most vulnerable.” – Mary Bullington.