Rep. Kat Cammack says Ocala vaccine site is “gold standard” for country

OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - Representative Kat Cammack is praising the vaccine process in Marion County.

Thursday’s visit to the Advent Health vaccine site in Ocala was just one of many for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District Representative, on her tour of North Central Florida’s vaccination locations.

“I couldn’t be more proud to represent this area. This is a model that we should be replicating all across the state and all across the country-- the organization ... the professionalism. This is incredible ... really a gold standard.”

Cammack says the key is simple: getting more vaccines-- using all resources from the federal level and cooperating with state partners to deliver more vaccines to each county. She says Marion County is a great example of this successful process.

“That communication between public and private partnerships is key ... and we have a tremendous opportunity to take this model that is here in Marion County and implement it-- not just across the state of Florida but across the country.”

Recently, President Biden increased his pledge for one million COVID vaccinations a day, to 1.5 million-- a push toward his goal of getting more of the American population vaccinated by the end of the summer. Cammack says she is hopeful about the future.

“I think we had an incredible head start with Operation Warp Speed under President Trump. We are seeing a little bit of herd immunity. We are seeing this up-tick in vaccines, needles getting in arms ... it’s all coming together. If we take politics out of it and we really focus on the logistics and deserving, I think we are going to see tremendous results as we move through the spring and the summer.”

While some health professionals disagree with Cammack’s use of “herd immunity” in this case, the plan is speeding up.

“The end of the summer feels far away ... and I don’t know how realistic it is or not ... but I sure hope so. I sure hope so,” said Concetta Hollister-- an 80-year-old nurse who recently received her vaccine.

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