Publix announced on May 14 that the company will no longer require fully vaccinated associates or customers to wear face coverings, a policy which took effect the following day. In accordance with CDC guidelines, individuals who are not fully vaccinated are required to use face coverings over their noses and mouths while inside any Publix store, the company wrote in a press release.
Publix joins several other retailers in Florida that have adjusted their mask requirements including Sam s Club, Walmart, Target, CVS and Starbucks.
Still, vaccination efforts continue across Lake and Sumter counties at retailers and DOH sites.
Here s what you need to know about getting the shot:
And soon, if not now, they ll be able to go mask-free.
According to the CDC s latest guidelines, people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can stop wearing masks or maintaining social distance in most settings.
The new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came on Thursday, after officials announced that vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks or social distance, except where required by state or federal laws, including local business and workplace guidance.
Those who are fully vaccinated meaning that they have waited two weeks after their final dose are also advised to resume activities that they did prior to the pandemic.
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Lake, Sumter COVID vaccines surpass 256,000
More than 256,000 people have received at least one dose of the three vaccines available for COVID-19 in Lake and Sumter counties, based on Wednesday’s county update from the Florida Department of Health.
Of the 256,110 who have received a dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Lake and Sumter counties since the state began its vaccination program in December, 171,665 were in Lake and 84,445 were in Sumter.
All told, 214,689 of those vaccinated, including 140,580 in Lake and 74,109 in Sumter, completed the two-shot series Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, or the single dose vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson through Tuesday – the latest information contained in Wednesday’s update. The majority – 132,856 in Lake County and 69,659 in Sumter – received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
How to find COVID-19 vaccine sites in Florida for anyone 12 and older
Vaccine shots in Florida available to 12 years old and up
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FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2021, file photo, Florida seniors have their temperatures taken before receiving the second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Jackson Health System in Miami. COVID-19 hospitalizations are plunging among older Americans. The falling numbers show the countrys vaccination strategy is working, pushing deaths lower and easing pressure on the frayed hospital system. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
This story was first published Dec. 28, 2020 and is updated daily with the latest coronavirus vaccine information for Central Florida.
Of the 254,852 who have received a dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Lake and Sumter counties since the state began its vaccination program in December, 170,590 were in Lake and 84,262 were in Sumter.
All told, 211,474 of those vaccinated, including 138,497 in Lake and 72,977 in Sumter, completed the two-shot series Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, or the single dose vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson through Sunday – the latest information contained in Monday’s update. The majority – 130,949 in Lake County and 68,577 in Sumter – received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
They are among more than 7 million people statewide – 7,088,055 – who have completed one of the three series of vaccinations. More than 9.3 million people in Florida – 9,311,399 – have received at least one dose of the vaccines.