Sarasota hosts vaccine clinic at Van Wezel this weekend

The city of Sarasota will help facilitate around 4,000 COVID-19 vaccinations this weekend at a clinic at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Mayor Hagen Brody said.

City officials contacted the state about using the Van Wezel as a site for mass vaccinations last month. The city will assist the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County with distributing a portion of the 13,000 vaccines the county received this week.

Eligible individuals who have signed up for the county’s vaccine registry will receive notifications about appointments once plans are finalized. Brody said the city is currently working to mobilize medical workers who volunteered to contribute to the vaccination effort.

“This is really a grassroots vaccination effort we’ve been able to put together with the help of a lot of generous medical professionals who are on the frontline of battling this pandemic,” Brody said.