OKEECHOBEE — Migrant farm workers have been a target group for FDOH-Okeechobee for months. These workers expressed they would like to have an opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but they work all day, every day except Sundays. FDOH-Okeechobee planned several special PODs with local Faith-Based organizations for the Johnson and Johnson one dose COVID-19 vaccine on a Sunday afternoon. Just as it was ready, the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine was placed on hold by the CDC for review. All were disappointed and had to come up with a different solution.

Bret Smith, FDOH-Okeechobee County Interim Health Officer spoke to Natalie McKellips, FDOH-Dixie, Gilchrest, and Levy’s Health Officer. Ms. McKellips stated the migrant farm workers in her counties migrate up from Okeechobee County. She offered if we could give them their first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, then Dixie, Gilchrest and Levy County Health Departments could get them their second dose, in a month, when they migrate to those counties to work. Now with a new plan, we activated our Okeechobee staff to get the migrant farm workers to the Health Department on Tuesday, April 27, as soon as they finished working for the day. Griselda Castillo, RN spoke to her family members who initiated the vaccination efforts with the migrant farm worker community.