Media Contact:
Megan McCarthy
DLCHD60PIO@flhealth.gov
352-569-3102

The purpose of this memo is to provide you an update concerning the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Sumter County and outline the next steps forward. 

As many of you know, the mass vaccination effort conducted by Global Medical Response (GMR) was suspended on January 16^th due to a shortage of vaccines.  Since that time, the health department has been in contact with GMR and has received from them a list of persons that were appointed but did not receive vaccination.  Additionally, the health department received 1,000 doses to vaccinate the public that can be applied to service this list. 

Therefore, the plan for these 1,000 doses is to appoint those remaining people who received an appointment for Saturday afternoon (1/16) by GMR but were not vaccinated as well as to begin appointment for persons who were scheduled for vaccination on the early morning of 1/17.  The health department will call these individuals to schedule these appointments which will be spaced out over three days; January 22^nd, 25^th and 27^th 2021. 

Beyond this, as additional doses are received by the health department from the State of Florida, I will continue to vaccinate the GMR appointment list in the chronological order of their scheduled appointment.  Please understand however, that those already requiring second doses must be given priority over the list of persons needing primary doses to ensure the success of the overall vaccination effort.  Second doses will be automatically scheduled and administered by the health department.  You will receive a vaccination card of that second dose appointment date.  No further actions are required by you. 

Please note that these vaccinations will take place at the Wildwood Community Center, on 6500 Powell Road (and not at the site where GMR was doing mass vaccination).   Additional vaccination sites may need to be sourced in the future as the situation warrants. 

Finally, for those of you waiting for your second dose from other vaccination opportunities previously conducted by the Sumter County Health Department, that re-supply process is moving forward smoothly. You will receive your second vaccination on the date that you were given.   

Please allow me to close by thanking GMR for working with the health department to provide vaccination in the most orderly manner possible under difficult circumstances.  As the supply situation improves over time, GMR will likely assist the health department more directly by providing mass vaccinations. 

I also want to thank you all for your patience. 

My office may be reached at 352-569-3102 if you have questions regarding this letter. 

Respectfully,

Sanford D Zelnick D.O.., M.S.
Director
Sumter County Health Department

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