Looking back since my last update, I am even more proud to represent the great people of Lake County. We’ve banded together in our efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrating the strength, unity and resilience of this great community.
This week the state-supported immunization site at Lake Square Mall reached the milestone of over 95,000 shots administered, and Lake County now has 83 percent of seniors 65+ and 48 percent of the population 16 and older vaccinated (eligible vaccine population).
As a commission, we have received a lot of positive feedback from our residents about the site and will continue to strive to meet the needs of our community by adjusting the hours and making more opportunities for vaccinations available to those who want it.
Currently, residents have reported waiting as little as 25 minutes to receive a Pfizer vaccine and the second dose is scheduled on site by our friendly staff. It is improvements such as these that make receiving a vaccination at the Lake Square Mall quick and easy. I want to thank Commissioners Doug Shields, Kirby Smith, Leslie Campione, and Josh Blake for their unwavering dedication to providing the best vaccination system possible for those we serve.
I could not be more thankful for the many individuals who dedicate their time to serving our residents. The Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Health in Lake County (DOH-Lake), together with county staff, first responders, community partners and volunteers are all continuing to do their part to support immunization in Lake County. Because of their efforts, Lake County has remained among the top counties in its response throughout the pandemic in key metrics including vaccine distribution, testing and positivity rate, and we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I want to remind everyone that starting Monday, April 19, the state-supported immunization site at Lake Square Mall will begin accepting walk-ins for the first and second dose of the Pfizer vaccine between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday (April 19 and 20), and 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (April 21-23). The site will be closed on Saturday, April 24. Appointments can still be made by calling the vaccine hotline at 866-201-6909 (or 833-476-1031 for TTY users) or by visiting the state’s Sharecare site at https://myvaccine.fl.gov. Please continue to monitor the county’s website and social media platforms for more opportunities to receive a vaccine as we work to expand our vaccination efforts.
As we move forward together, let’s continue in our resolve to protect our community, uplift our neighbors, and unite for the greater good. I’m excited about our future in Lake County.
Sean Parks is the chairman of the Lake County Commission.