THE SUMTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABILITY 

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

Bushnell, FLA - This memo provides an update concerning on-going vaccination activities in Sumter County.

The Sumter County Health Department received additional doses this week over prior allocations; 10,000 first doses and 1,000 second doses.  We also will receive an additional 6,700 second doses today.  These doses have been distributed in part to The Villages Hospital, Florida Cancer Specialists, and Langley Health Services.

Other community partners are interested in supporting mass vaccination efforts.  We will share that information with you as they are brought on board.  As I may not receive advance information on all the vaccination activities of the large pharmaceutical chains or retail outlets, I advise that you please follow their public information releases and web sites concerning this. 

Over the past week (from February 17^th through the 24^th), the Sumter County Health Department vaccinated 1,243 people at the Wildwood Community Center. 

We are also continuing to supply vaccines to Global Medical Response (GMR), the contracted medical provider assigned by the State of Florida for mass vaccination in Sumter County.

GMR vaccinated an average of 1,000 people per day during the 5 days a week they were in operation at Lake Sumter State College, in Sumterville.  On March 8^th, GMR will be moving to St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, which is closer to our population centers in The Villages and Wildwood.   In addition to the closer location, this new location will support an expansion of vaccination throughput, which is helpful as we anticipate that the number of vaccines that we receive may rapidly expand.  GMR will contact patients scheduled for March 8^th and beyond, to ensure a smooth transition.  The Sumter County Health Department extends our thanks to Lake Sumter State College for the use of their facilities to support mass vaccination activities during this period of transition. 

Hospitalization admissions from COVID-19 infection have declined from the 60-70 in-patients at the height of the pandemic, to a daily hospitalized census now of roughly half that number. 

The Sumter County Health Department will use the EventBrite sign-up for the next two weeks of vaccination appointments with us.   We will offer 1,800 first-dose vaccination opportunities over multiple vaccination dates and times over the next two weeks.   By offering more vaccinations over more days, we are hopeful that there may be more time to allow people to sign up than occurred with previous EventBrite registrations in early January. 

Sign up will begin at noon on February 27^th at this link: https://sumtercovid19vax.eventbrite.com

Please note that if you signed up for vaccination through the state pre-registration system (either by calling 866-201-7196 or online at https://myvaccine.fl.gov/), you will be contacted to re-confirm your interest in vaccination.  If you re-confirm that you are still interested, the Sumter County Health Department will continue to make appointments from this pre-registration list. 

Sumter County residents are reminded to please plan to receive their second dose from the same vendor who provided them their first dose as your second dose is planned for in this manner.

Additionally, while the hospitalization information is moving in a positive direction in terms of recent trends, it is still prudent to wear a mask if sharing indoor air space with others, socially distance if you are unmasked and limit non-essential travel (whether or not you are vaccinated).

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

Respectfully,

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

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