[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by xcaligirl

I'm so sorry that this happened to you and your wife. My husband and I got our first COVID vaccination 3 weeks ago and were told they would call to schedule the 2nd appt. He got a call, I did not. I, like your wife, has diabetes which I added to the form that was required to complete. I am 66 so the age is not a problem. I have called the 'appt numbers' 4 times 48 hrs prior to our 2nd vaccination as advised by the health personnel at the 1st vaccination. I could not get through. I called back 24 hours prior and was asked by recording quite a few questions and then told I would get a call back when the vaccination is AVAILABLE!!! What? Now the vaccinations are no longer available however on the news today, they are going to start vaccinating the school employees! I think the 'system' is handled VERY poorly. I feel they have hired a lot of people, gave them a 30 minute training and set them free. Reminds me of some people I know that have a little knowledge and think they can run the place!

I disagree with a 20-year-old school employee getting a CV shot before a plus 65 person, especially one looking for a 2ND SHOT! I will attempt to justify my statement and philosophy. The original CDC guidelines had HOSPITAL and nursing home workers 1st, then 1st responders, and then upper age citizens. The BASIC reason for this was to keep the greatest number of CV patients OUT of the HOSPITALS. That was most important - to keep hospitals functioning well. In parts of Texas and NYC, we could all see on TV how devastating hospital crowding could be to the general functioning of society. It is a matter of life and death!

Getting schools fully operational IS important, but it is NOT life or death. If schools are not operating at 100%, students can continue to learn and many parents can still work from home. A non-functioning school does not devastate society as much as a non-functioning hospital. If someone breaks a leg and no hospital can accept them - they can't say to the EMTs, "take me to a high school, maybe the school nurse can set my leg"!

Those are the reasons that I say to vaccinate older people before young school employees. I realize that there are pressures from teacher's unions to get their members vaccinated. And extreme pressure from parents who can't work from home and WANT free babysitting. And our Federal and State leaders are going to bend to pressure and try or pretend to want to please both voting seniors and parents of school-aged children. The ironic thing is that by waiting only a few more months, the supply of vaccines should be enough to please everyone.

[Dan9871]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

I disagree with a 20-year-old school employee getting a CV shot before a plus 65 person, especially one looking for a 2ND SHOT! .

Only school personnel 50 and over were added to the eligibility list in Florida.

COVID-19 Vaccines in Florida | Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Outbreak

[Marylee139]

I was told by my doctors staff I had to go to the FEMA site. Made an appointment and got the vaccine at the Valencia college. No Problem had the form and they have the staff to safely administer the vaccine.
Got there at 12:30 appointment at 1:15 and done at 2:30. 844 770-8548
CDRM Health

[Linda Taranto]

Shameful!

[terrild53]

Originally Posted by kaniess

My wife had an appointment to get her Covid-19 shot at the GMR Lake Sumter College site in Sumterville this morning. She is under 65 years old, has diabetes and is eligible under the recent order signed by Governor DeSantis. Before making the appointment we put her birth date in the online form and answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Do you have a chronic health condition that will qualify you for the vaccination’? GMR sent the approval code and we scheduled an appointment.

We showed up on time and brought the State form signed by her doctor approving her for the vaccine based on extreme vulnerability to Covid-19. Her barcode was checked upon entrance and when we got to the front of the line the personnel on site refused to give her the vaccination because she is under 65. I showed them her signed form again and they still refused to vaccinate her.

I then pulled into a parking space so as not to block others from getting their vaccine and tried to call the Health Department. While trying to call, GMR personnel asked us to leave. I moved to a parking spot further away and a GMR employee came up to my car window and threatened to call the police unless I immediately departed the site. We were treated in a rude and insulting manner by GMR personnel and I don’t think this organization is worthy of working in Sumter County.

First of all, it’s a shame that you & your wife had such difficulties at the vaccination site you went to. When Sumter county still wasn’t getting any vaccine back in late January/early Feb and the same provider you are speaking of pulled out without informing folks of their plan, and Sumter county’s computer sign up was a disaster, we decided to sign up in another county, upon the advice of a friend who did the same. We called their # right after 8am & were signed up for our first vaccine 2 days later. Lake County had their routine down very well, very professional & friendly workers and we were in & out in 45 minutes. The county employees called us back 3 days before our 3 week “due date,” and got us scheduled for vaccine 2. Again, very smooth operation, positive experience, time spent was about an hour. My point is that Sumter County hasn’t gotten their vaccination clinic scheduling down very well overall from the sounds of things. Not sure what their problem is, but it needs to be remedied asap. Studying logistics, organization, & educating the public and the workers is common sense, but many people lack it so people end up being upset & dissatisfied with their experience.

[Aloha]

It appears that Sumter County is proficient in raising taxes but not so much in providing needed services. Perhaps Sumter County should take a look at Lake County.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Dan9871

Only school personnel 50 and over were added to the eligibility list in Florida.

COVID-19 Vaccines in Florida | Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Outbreak

OK, thanks. Just substitute 50 for 20 and what I said makes the same sense.

[patfla06]

Originally Posted by rjcataniajr

We had our shots two weeks ago at the Sumter site and they also gave us each a card to get the 2nd shot one month from getting the first shot...no problems and hardly anyone else there at the college site, maybe 6 other cars.

We got our 2nd vaccine today @ 12:30 and it was busy but moved quickly.

[aces_04]

Originally Posted by kaniess

My wife had an appointment to get her Covid-19 shot at the GMR Lake Sumter College site in Sumterville this morning. She is under 65 years old, has diabetes and is eligible under the recent order signed by Governor DeSantis. Before making the appointment we put her birth date in the online form and answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Do you have a chronic health condition that will qualify you for the vaccination’? GMR sent the approval code and we scheduled an appointment.

We showed up on time and brought the State form signed by her doctor approving her for the vaccine based on extreme vulnerability to Covid-19. Her barcode was checked upon entrance and when we got to the front of the line the personnel on site refused to give her the vaccination because she is under 65. I showed them her signed form again and they still refused to vaccinate her.

I then pulled into a parking space so as not to block others from getting their vaccine and tried to call the Health Department. While trying to call, GMR personnel asked us to leave. I moved to a parking spot further away and a GMR employee came up to my car window and threatened to call the police unless I immediately departed the site. We were treated in a rude and insulting manner by GMR personnel and I don’t think this organization is worthy of working in Sumter County.

I don’t understand why the official letter created on Floridahealth.org is only accepted at pharmacies and Dr. offices. The executive order on March 2, 2021. This is the executive order

[talleyjm]

Originally Posted by raynan

Lake County is Pfizer. Sumter County is Moderna.
Lake County is extremely organized. Called 352-464-9065 in Feb and got an appointment 2 days later. With Pfizer you only have to wait 3 weeks to get 2nd shot. They gave us a card that said 3/4 but no time. They said they'd call to confirm within 48 hours of our date and they didn't so we went anyway at the same time as our last appointment. We were in and out in 25 mins which included the 15 mins hold.

Help! The same thing is happening to me - coming up on my 21 day window for my 2nd shot at the Sears Building in Leesburg and no call regarding what time to be there. I’ll try what you did. Thanks for the tip. I’ll show up 21 days from my first appointment date at the same time as my first appointment was, and hope for the best. My God, getting these vaccinations has been a nightmare. Wish me luck.

[Dan9871]

Originally Posted by aces_04

I don’t understand why the official letter created on Floridahealth.org is only accepted at pharmacies and Dr. offices. The executive order on March 2, 2021. This is the executive order

The limit on who can vaccinate the medically vulnerable is listed on the Florida health department page that has the link to the form the physician has to fill out.

"Persons under 65 deemed medically vulnerable* by a physician"

"* Vaccines for this group may only be administered by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or licensed pharmacist."

The link for the form that is needed is at the top of this page. COVID-19 Vaccines in Florida | Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Outbreak

[yankygrl]

Originally Posted by Mrprez

Two sheriff’s cars are already stationed on site right when you start driving in. Not sure why they are there though. They seemed more intent on talking to each other than us old folks getting our shots.

I think sheriff were there for traffic control if needed. I lucked out and got first and second shots from GMR before they closed the Buffalo Ridge site after the rain. It ran very smoothly.

[xcaligirl]

Lake! Still waiting for a call back but did receive a text stating they will be calling when vaccines are available! hmmm...seems to be available in other parts of Central FL

[JSR22]

We had a 100% positive experience with GMR. Registered online and received a confirmation. Several weeks later received an email that we coud register for the vax. Very easy to signup for a time and date\. Received a confirmation email with a bar code and a scheduled 2nd appointment. Drove to Sumterville and it was 100% organized quickly got the vax. All of the staff was very pleasant.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

The Sumter County site was following the rules. The form that the doctor signed can only be used at a doctor's office or at a pharmacy. The county vaccine sites cannot vaccinate people under 65 even if they have the form.

If that's the case, why did they give here an appointment. Her age was on the paperwork that they filled out.