Miami International Airport To Begin Offering COVID-19 Jabs

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Starting on May 10th, Miami International Airport will operate COVID-19 vaccination sites for its 36,000 airport employees, their family and friends, and travelers who live or work in Florida. The Pfizer vaccine will be available at two locations in two windows over the coming five weeks.

American 737 MAX
Starting Monday, passengers who live or work in Florida get their COVID-19 vaccination at Miami International Airport, along with airport workers and their friends and family. Photo: Getty Images.

Two locations, two windows, and two shots

The first dose will be available from May 10th to 14th, and the second from June 1st to 4th, and on June 7th. MIA will set up two vaccination sites to distribute the Pfizer vaccine. Both will be open from 08:00 to 16:00 during the vaccination dates.

One of the sites will be located in Concourse D, in the 4th-floor Auditorium, upstairs from Door 1, pre-security. The other is a drive-thru location which will be set up at the airport’s taxi overflow lot at 75 Bus Road.

“We are committed to making it as easy and convenient as possible for those who live and work in Miami-Dade to get vaccinated, which is why I am so excited that we will soon be vaccinating at MIA, the daily workplace for more than 36,000 of our travel industry employees. Vaccination is our single best tool to beat this pandemic and truly get our community and our economy back to normal,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose after 21 days. Photo: Getty Images

No need to sign up beforehand

Appointments are not required. However, the county offers a pre-registration system online to expedite the vaccination process. Without pre-registration, there may be a longer waiting time at the vaccination site. Since April 28th, Miami-Dade residents can schedule a same-day appointment for vaccinations.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine requires a second shot after three weeks, hence the airport’s two vaccination drive windows. Other drive-thru locations in Miami include Tropical Park, Zoo Miami, and Homestead Sports Complex.

Trial run for tourists in Alaska

Miami International is not the only airport to turn part of its premises into vaccination facilities. Late last month, a five-day vaccination trial clinic opened at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska. The pilot project, open to residents and workers, was to ‘determine how best to vaccinate people in an airport environment’.

It is meant to serve as a test run for the state’s intended program to offer COVID-19 vaccines to tourists. The plan is for coronavirus vaccines to be available at key Alaska airports from June 1st in an attempt to boost the ailing tourism industry.

Suvarnabhumi vaccinations
One of the check-in areas at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is functioning as a vaccination facility. Photo: Getty Images

Meanwhile, in Thailand, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport has turned one of its check-in areas into a vaccination center. It is open to immigration officers and airport staff, as well as airline cabin crew.

In Italy, airports across the country, such as Rome’s Fiumicino, Capdodichino in Naples, and Torino Airport, have become major vaccination points, reaching as many as 1,000 people per day.

Do you think utilizing airport facilities as vaccination sites is a good idea? Leave a comment below and let us know. 



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