Testing Sites

• Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart opened the first regional drive-through testing center for COVID-19 on Monday, March 16, 2020. The schedule for Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart’s drive-through center in Pensacola provides community testing for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
  • Pensacola location off Bayou Blvd. - open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. This site can provide up to 300 nasal swab tests per day with lab results back within 48 hours.         
  • The drive-through testing center provides testing for all individuals regardless of whether or not they have symptoms of COVID-19. Before going for a test, interested persons first must call (850) 746-2684.

  • COVID-19 rapid testing  Appointments are available for Escambia County residents who are 3 months and older and are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Patients desiring COVID-19 testing through Ascension Sacred Heart's locations in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties should pre-register online by visiting: www.getsacredheartcare.com.to be pre-screened and scheduled (if eligible) or call Community Health Northwest Florida at 850-390- 4276. Rapid testing is offered for symptomatic individuals by appointment only. 

• Community Health Northwest Florida — If you don't have a healthcare provider or health insurance, call Community Health Northwest Florida at 850-436-4630. 

  To request a Covid-19 rapid test appointment at a Community Health Northwest Florida testing site, individuals no longer need to call the Ascension Sacred Heart Call Center.

  Instead, individuals may now call the CHNWF designated Testing phone line: 850-390- 4276 and speak directly to a CHNWF team member, who will be able pre-screen and schedule patients for Covid-19 rapid tests as well as provide general testing information.

  Please check the Community Health Northwest Florida Facebook page for updates and additional information.
  
  

  Please note the following changes to the Community Health Northwest Florida Covid-19 mobile testing schedule, effective Tuesday Jan. 19:

  • Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St., (parking lot across the street), Pensacola- RAPID TESTING ONLY.

    • Weekdays, 11 a.m. -3 p.m. Drive-through.

    • Pre-screening/appointment IS required.

    • Please call Ascension pre-screening call center: 850-746-2684.

  • 2315 W. Jackson Street - PCR (molecular) SEND-OFF TESTING ONLY.

    • Weekdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Drive-through.

    • No pre-screening/appointment required.

  • Community Health Northwest Florida Cantonment Pediatrics, 470 S. Highway 29, Cantonment– still PCR (molecular) SEND-OFF and RAPID TESTING.
    

    • Weekdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Drive-through.

    • No pre-screen required for send-off test.

    • Pre-screen/appointment IS required for rapid test; please call Ascension pre-screening call center: 850-746-2684.

  All ages are able to be tested. Bring a photo ID and insurance card (if insured).
• Baptist Health Care - Call the screening center at 850-434-4080 to determine if you need an appointment. Online assessment screenings are also available via their website or text “Screen” to 850-318-3080. The online assessment screening is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   

• FDOH-Escambia- The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County (FDOH-Escambia) will suspend specimen collection for COVID-19 offered to Florida residents. Closure of the testing site will support ongoing COVID-19 contact tracing efforts needed to mitigate community spread and risk of infection to others. COVID-19 testing sites continue to be available at several locations in Escambia County, allowing FDOH-Escambia to focus efforts on contact tracing needs.

• OneBlood is testing all blood donations for the COVID-19 antibody. The antibody test is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to the virus, regardless of whether they ever showed symptoms. Appointments to donate are required. Masks are required to be worn by all blood donors. You may wear your own or we will provide one for you if needed. To protect our team members and other donors, please do not present to donate if you are not feeling well or have a fever. Please stay home and consider donating once you feel better.

Vaccination

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 21-46 and Executive Order 21-47 (amending Executive Order 20-315) which outlines that providers can only administer the COVID-19 vaccine to the following groups:

• Long-term care facility residents and staff.
• Persons 65 years of age and older.
• Health care personnel with direct patient contact.
• K-12 school employees 50 years of age and older. (effective March 3)
• Sworn law enforcement officers 50 years of age and older. (effective March 3)
• Firefighters 50 years of age and older. (effective March 3)
• Persons deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers. (effective Feb. 26)

Ascension Sacred Heart

• Ascension Sacred Heart is collaborating with the Escambia County School District and the Santa Rosa County School District to provide district employees age 50 and older with the COVID-19 vaccine this week.
• Teams from Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart are organizing vaccination clinics for eligible school district employees on Thursday and Saturday at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola. A third clinic will be held Saturday at Parkmore Plaza in Milton, in the former Bealls department store building.
• Teams from Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart are organizing vaccination clinics for eligible school district employees on the following dates and locations:

  • Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola:

    • Thursday, March 4, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    • Saturday, March 6, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Parkmore Plaza in Milton, in the former Bealls department store building:

    • Saturday, March 6, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart held a special COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Feb. 26 for Florida residents with developmental and intellectual disabilities who also have conditions that put them at high risk for serious complications from COVID-19. The clinic will include vaccinations for persons with Down syndrome.
• Ascension Medical Group staff administered shots with the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to up to 400 people who met the special needs criteria. All participants are expected to return for a second dose of the vaccine on March 26.
• More information will be coming from each school district to their eligible employees about how to schedule appointments. Any public or private school employee K-12 that has questions about vaccine scheduling or vaccine eligibility can send an email to: COVID19vaccinesupport@ascension.org. 
• Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart began vaccinations for adults 65 and older on Jan. 6. Monitor the Sacred Heart Facebook page for more announcements. They will continue to hold clinics as supply becomes available.

Baptist Health Care

• Baptist Health Care has vaccine appointments available in the communities of Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Jay, Florida while supplies last. Vaccinations will be given by appointment only to those who meet Florida eligibility criteria. Evening and weekend appointments have been added to accommodate work schedules, including those of school employees. Time and location will be provided once the appointment is confirmed.

  COVID-19 vaccinations are currently designated for Florida residents who are one of the following:

  • Age 65 or over
  • Health care worker
  • K-12 school employee 50 years of age and older
  • Sworn law enforcement officer 50 years of age and older
  • Firefighter 50 years of age and older

  People who are in one of the allowable workforce groups must present an ID badge or proof of employment at the appointment.

  Special Information for the Medically Vulnerable

  People under the age of 65 who are medically vulnerable can receive the vaccine with completion of the COVID-19 Determination of Extreme Vulnerability form that is required by the state of Florida. The form must be completed and signed by a person’s physician and brought to the vaccination appointment. The form is available at ebaptisthealthcare.org/easyschedule.

  How to Make a Vaccination Appointment

  Appointments can be made one of three ways:

  • Visit EasySchedule.com. Click “procedure appointment” and complete the registration.
  • Email name and contact information to BHCVaccine@bhcpns.org.
  • For those who do not have email/internet access, call 850.908.SHOT (7468), Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Community Health Northwest Florida

• Appointments Available at Upcoming Vaccination Events
  Community Health Northwest Florida will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Friday March 5 and Saturday March 6 at Brownsville Community Center for all residents of Florida who qualify, including those covered under the Governor’s latest Executive order; the amended order expands the groups eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida to include persons under 65 who are "medically vulnerable", as well as individuals 50 and older who hold specific jobs that put them at high risk.

  Vaccine supply is limited and will be administered by appointment only. Pre-registration is required.

  • Any eligible individuals who would like to receive the vaccine may schedule an appointment by calling the Community Health Northwest Florida COVID vaccination scheduling call center at 850-439-3358.
  • The call center is open Thursday and Friday from 8am-4pm, and Saturday from 8am-noon (or whenever all appointment slots are filled).
  • All participants will be required to show photo ID as well as proof of qualifying condition/job at time of appointment.

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County

• FDOH-Escambia will schedule appointments based on supply availability. For the most up-to-date information, follow us on Twitter at @HealthyEscambia and visit EscambiaHealth.com.
• Escambia County residents should use the statewide preregistration system to sign up for vaccination. Residents can call the toll-free line at 866-201-1025 or preregister online at myvaccine.fl.gov. The TTY number for the deaf and hard of hearing is 833-476-1461. Registrants will be notified when appointments are available in their area. The State has established a help line at 833-959-0217 for those who need to make changes to their original pre-registration. Read more: bit.ly/3tnz2p5.
• This pre-registration system will proactively contact vaccine-eligible individuals to schedule appointments when they are available at health department or emergency management vaccine sites. Appointments are opened based upon the vaccine supply received each week from the State of Florida. Please be aware that when ShareCare calls you to schedule an appointment, they will NOT ask for financial information or social security information.
• If you have pre-registered, we ask for your patience. The demand is high, and the supply is currently limited. As we received vaccine, we work to schedule appointments as quickly as we can. We encourage residents to take advantage of opportunities offered through other partners to get vaccinated.
• Pursuant to EO 21-47, the State Department has published a form for physicians to certify that they have determined an individual to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 and eligible to receive the vaccine. Click here to access the form.

Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System

•  The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System's Joint Ambulatory Care Center in Pensacola and the Biloxi Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Mississippi offers COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment only from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. based on availability.

• Appointments for these events will be available for:
  
  • Veterans 65 and up
  • Veterans with a high-risk medical condition
  • Veterans who are essential workers
  • Eligible High-Risk Veterans: Community Living Centers and other congregate living settings, Homeless Veterans, Hemodialysis patients, Solid Organ Transplant patients or patients who are listed for transplant, Spinal Cord Injury, and Chemotherapy patients (receiving chemotherapy in a clinic/hospital setting)
  • Caregivers of a veteran enrolled in the Comprehensive Caregiver Support Program and receiving a monthly allotment from the VA.

The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program

CVS

• Register in advance at CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app. People without online access can contact CVS customer service at (800) 746-7287. Walk-in vaccinations without an appointment will not be provided.

Publix

• Gov. Ron DeSantis announced an expansion of the program to provide COVID-19 vaccines at Publix grocery stores in Northwest Florida starting Thursday, Jan. 14 for adults 65 and older during a press conference in Niceville on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
• The vaccines will be appointment only at 18 Publix locations in the three counties (six in Escambia County). Please visit publix.com/covid-vaccine. Each Publix location can administer between 120 and 125 shots per day.
• Monitor Publix's online portal here.

Walmart and Sam's Club

• Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies can now accept and administer federal allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine. Walmart and Sam’s Club are working with the federal government to help increase access to COVID-19 vaccines at select pharmacies in 22 states once vaccine doses are available, starting late next week.
  • Once a store or club receives allocation, our online scheduler will be available to make appointments at walmart.com/COVIDvaccine and samsclub.com/covid.

Winn-Dixie - Monitor the Winn-Dixie online portal here.

State of Florida

• Sign up for text message updates about the vaccine and distribution by texting “FLCOVID19” to 888777. After you submit the text message, it will ask you to supply your zip code for local-level updates.
• Florida has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Report that will be updated daily. This report includes a breakdown of who has received the vaccine by age, race, sex and county. Check out the latest number of vaccinations on the Escambia County COVID-19 dashboard. 
• Information about the statewide vaccine distribution plan can be found at floridahealthcovid19.gov/covid-19-vaccines-in-florida.
• Citizen’s call line for vaccine concerns (Governor’s Office): (850) 717-9337 
• The Florida Health Department has a brand new COVID-19 vaccine locator site. The new site will allow Floridians to find vaccine sites by county or city and contains contact information for each location. See all locations here - http://ow.ly/k0FX50De10y

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) for the prevention of COVID-19.