OCALA, Fla.—The Department of Health in Marion County is taking appointments to give third Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 shots to immunocompromised Marion County residents.

Appointments will be scheduled for the next four Saturdays starting Saturday, Aug. 28, at Liberty Middle School, 4773 SW 95th St., Ocala. Appointments will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The department will give Pfizer and Moderna booster shots; there is currently no booster shot available for people who have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

You can sign up for an appointment online at https://tinyurl.com/marioncovidvax.

The department is partnering with Marion County Public Schools to provide the shots to Marion County’s immunocompromised residents

“We are grateful for our partnership with Marion County Public Schools,” said Department of Health in Marion County Administrator Mark Lander. “We have been working closely with our schools to help protect students and staff, and we are glad to have the school district’s help to get the booster shot out to our vulnerable residents.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people who have:

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Immunocompromised individuals may discuss with their health care provider whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. Individuals can self-attest that they are immunocompromised and receive the additional dose wherever vaccines are offered. This will help ensure there are not additional barriers to access for this vulnerable population receiving a needed additional dose. Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.

Testing and vaccinations available

Free drive-through COVID-19 testing is available weekly at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion (2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala) and Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park (11008 South Highway 475). You can receive first and second shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 weekdays at the health department Ocala facility, 1801 SE 32nd Ave. For details on testing and vaccination opportunities, visit https://marion.floridahealth.gov.

For more information, call the Department of Health in Marion County at 352-644-2590.

Find out more

Visit https://marion.floridahealth.gov, https://www.marionflcovid.org and https://twitter.com/flhealthmarion for the latest information on COVID-19 and vaccinations. Visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov and use the Vaccine Locator and Testing Sites tools to find vaccination and testing sites near you.