PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie pulmonologist is partnering with the city to help get shots in arms but claims that vaccine hesitancy and appointment no-shows are leaving many doses unused.
Dr. Mark Pamer opened the doors to his latest vaccine clinic at Robert E. Minsky Gym at 8 a.m. Friday.
Within the first two hours, 200 shots were administered.
By 1 p.m., that number was only 290.
"They were very helpful," said Evelyn McGuigan, who received the first dose.
Pamer, who has spent weeks at a time out state fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines, said the partnership was formed to help administer shots more efficiently.
"They had a need and we reached out to them, and we formed this partnership of just people working with people," said Pamer. "The city was struggling with trying to get people vaccinated and was running into red tape."
Those who did show up to receive the shot said it was a simple process.
"It's very easy," said Carol Stansbury, who received her first dose. "As you can see there, a lot of parking. It was no issues. I put it in my GPS."
Pamer said the partnership helps alleviate his team from having to file all of the records associated with each shot.
Now, instead, his team of medical staff can focus on giving vaccines, and city officials take care of all the paperwork.
"It's nice to see the government and private industries working together to meet the needs of the community," said Pamer.
