Global Medical Response will conclude their vaccination outreach on June 4. Those who were scheduled by GMR for second doses by GMR after June 4 can contact the Sumter County Health Department at (352) 569-3102 to schedule their second shot.
Persons requiring a second dose to complete their GMR-administered series can also complete your vaccination at several local pharmacies and commercial vendors. Please ensure, however, that your second vaccination is from the same vaccine manufacturer as your first shot.
Global Medical Response has provided over 46,000 vaccinations to this community. I wish to extend my sincere thanks for their kind assistance as well as my thanks to the many medical practices who also participated in providing vaccinations to the public.
As vaccine coverage in the over 65-year old population is approximately 85 percent, the focus of our vaccination activities at the health department has shifted to encourage vaccination among younger age groups and among harder to reach populations.
Concerning mask usage, as our local vaccine coverage is quite high, I anticipate that requirements concerning mask usage will continue to be relaxed for most local day-to-day situations. For those who are traveling, however, I still advise that you review the local situation at your places of transit and destination to make prudent decisions concerning what precautions you may take. Mask usage is still required at most airports and on many other forms of commercial mass transit.
Please have a safe Memorial Day weekend.
Sanford Zelnick is the director of the Sumter County Health Department.
