Colonial Boulevard continuous flow intersection opens Sunday in Fort MyersSun and clouds with a stray shower possible
FORT MYERS Colonial Boulevard continuous flow intersection opens Sunday in Fort Myers Drivers along Interstate 75 near Colonial Boulevard can expect changes soon.
the weather authority Sun and clouds with a stray shower possible The Weather Authority says sun and clouds overhead will lead to another day with above-average temperatures.
FORT MYERS LCSO offering youth boxing program The Lee County Sheriff’s Office youth boxing program is your kid’s golden ticket to mastering the art of self-defense.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend armed 13-year-old The man who helped apprehend an armed 13-year-old spoke on the incident.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
FORT MYERS Colonial Boulevard continuous flow intersection opens Sunday in Fort Myers Drivers along Interstate 75 near Colonial Boulevard can expect changes soon.
the weather authority Sun and clouds with a stray shower possible The Weather Authority says sun and clouds overhead will lead to another day with above-average temperatures.
FORT MYERS LCSO offering youth boxing program The Lee County Sheriff’s Office youth boxing program is your kid’s golden ticket to mastering the art of self-defense.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend armed 13-year-old The man who helped apprehend an armed 13-year-old spoke on the incident.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
FILE – In this Nov. 9, 2020, file photo, pedestrians walk past Pfizer world headquarters in New York. A U.S. government advisory panel convened on Thursday, Dec. 10, to decide whether to endorse mass use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to help conquer the outbreak that has killed close to 300,000 Americans. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) While FDA approval of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine hangs in the balance, Southwest Florida is gearing up to receive it. We learned more Friday about what the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine will look like in the region. Charlotte County is keeping a close eye as COVID-19 cases climb. “This is the last 14 days. We’ve had 30 hospitalized and 816 cases,” said Joseph Pepe, the administrator for Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County. “So really big numbers the last couple of weeks.” Hope is on the horizon in the form of Pfizer’s vaccine for COVID-19. “We fully anticipate it being approved today,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “That will then unlock the ability to start receiving shipments of the vaccine.” Charlotte County is preparing to receive it. “The Florida Division of Emergency Management’s purchased, I think, at least five dry ice making machines that will augment and allow for longer storage of those prepackaged Pfizer vaccines,” said Patrick Fuller, the emergency management director of Charlotte County. “There are some refrigerators that are available for the ultra-cold storage and things like that, so we do have some opportunities there should we need to move in that direction,” Pepe said. Even with dry ice and freezers, there are still challenges to be worked out. “It really doesn’t lend itself to a mass vaccination type site,” Pepe said. “The 15-minute mandatory waiting period, it was new for us,” said Chad Nielsen, the director of infection prevention at UF Health in Jacksonville. “We don’t do that for flu or any other type of vaccine. We have to do it for this. So that causes space requirements that causes, you know, just other logistical concerns that we’ve had to work our way through.” UF Health in Jacksonville is one of the first facilities in Florida to receive the vaccine. There, Neilsen says his team is working through those problems now and plans to share their solution. When vaccines come to Southwest Florida, health professional here will be ready. “At the end of the day, we’re all in this together,” Neilsen said. “We’re not competing with other organizations like a business perspective. We really are in this for the health care workers, for the patients.” Charlotte County leaders discussed working with community partners, including fire, EMS, the department of health and schools to help with vaccination efforts. Lee Health keeps tabs on vaccine rollout Submit Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.