Omicron concerns drive Central Florida residents to get COVID-19 vaccine boosters

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The COVID-19 omicron variant is spreading across the U.S.

There are now cases reported in 16 states, including Georgia.

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Area health officials are working to protect Central Florida from the latest COVID-19 variant.

So far, there are no confirmed reports of the omicron variant in Florida.

Seminole County emergency manager Alan Harris said the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot events the county is hosting this week are almost all booked up.

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Harris said last week they noticed more people were interested in getting the booster. He said concern over the omicron variant is driving more people to sign up.

Is Seminole County this week, there are three different event sites and between 400 and 500 people are signed up, per site, to get their booster.

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“Like we did for the delta variant, of course, we do protective measures inside of the government. We try to make things as safe as possible for people coming and doing business with the government (can be), as far as out in the public, we try to make vaccines as readily available to individuals that may have a harder time getting to a location,” Harris said.

Counties throughout Central Florida are testing wastewater to look for different COVID-19 variants. Altamonte Springs took its first samples last week, and experts could see lab results Monday.

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