PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The best way to keep COVID-19 variants at bay is to continue to wear a mask and get vaccinated, that’s according to Dr. Kitonga Kiminyo, the chairman of the COVID-19 taskforce for T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society in Palm Beach County.
It is the latest push from society to get people inoculated, especially among communities of color.
In an effort to accomplish that, the society has recently released a new public service announcement.
Doctor Kiminyo said the number of people vaccinated needs to rise to control COVID-19 as well as getting tested before gathering with family and friends for the holidays.
“So it’s going to be a very important especially during this time that our at-risk communities which include our population in Palm Beach County from the last year, our Black and Brown communities who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, this is who we ended up seeing more so in the hospital,” said Dr. Kiminyo. “It's very important to get the message out there, we need to continue wearing, we need to continue getting everyone vaccinated and everyone who can get boosted during this holiday time.”
Medical experts said while breakthrough infections, infections in people who are vaccinated, do sometimes occur, vaccinated people are overall less likely to be infected. If someone does experience a breakthrough infection their illness is typically milder, preventing hospitalization or intensive care.
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County has a vaccine clinic open five days a week at the Lantana-Lake Worth Public Health Unit in Lantana (1250 Southwinds Drive Lantana, FL 33462). It is open from 9am-4pm and closed during the holidays. First, second and booster shots are provided at this location.
For more information visit https://www.hcdpbc.org/resources/covid-19/covid-19.
