The Sumter County Health Department Provides Updates on Covid-19 Vaccination 

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

I am writing to you to provide you an additional update concerning the Covid-19 vaccination situation in Sumter County. 

Global Medical Response (GMR) will join the health department in mass vaccination and resume their operations on Thursday, 4 February.  They will start with 600 vaccines per day and rapidly expand to provide 800-1200 vaccines per day (the precise amount depending on the number of vaccines the health department receives from the State of Florida). 

We received approximately 7,000- first dose allocations, which will be used for the GMR appointment list. We also expect to receive an additional 4,000 doses for the GMR second doses due 9 February. The health department will continue to provide both first and second doses to the people we vaccinated at the Wildwood Community Center. 

Regarding appointment and waiting lists, GMR will continue to vaccinate people, from both their prior appointment list, and their wait list that now has registered over 60,000 persons.  The State of Florida has also developed a wait list on-line at: https://myvaccine.fl.gov/    The pre-registration hot line phone number is 866-201-7196 (TTY is 833-476-1457). 

At the State of Florida website, there is a tab referring to the vaccination of medically vulnerable individuals.  While a list of medical conditions or their severity is not available, over 28,000 vaccines were distributed to 27 large medical centers in Florida. The list of servicing hospitals may change over time.  Please know that this activity is performed only by selected hospitals/medical centers (and not the health department).  The nearest hospitals that received these doses for this purpose are: Advent Health Orlando, Orlando Health—Orlando Regional Medical Center, and UF Health—Shands Hospital. 

The State of Florida wait list will largely be vaccinated after the GMR wait list.  Medical and dental practices will continue to be vaccinated and we will reach out to first responders, once the 4,000 second doses that will be administered by GMR, are completed. 

As the health department’s activities have centered around vaccinating the public, other health department services may be limited.  Specifically, Covid-19 testing, which can be performed by other community partners, will be limited as well as some family planning services. 

It is important that you continue to please wear your masks, limit social interactions (particularly those indoors), frequently wash your hands and limit unnecessary travel.  

The Sumter County Health Departments’ Public Information Officer, Ms. Megan McCarthy may be reached at the number above if you have questions regarding this update. 

Respectfully,

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

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