Governor DeSantis will reduce the vaccination age to 60 next week

TALLAHASSEE, FLa. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the state will lower the age for people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine from 65 to 60 next week.

“This will generally apply to all state pods, all pharmacies, and the different driving locations that are being operated on,” DeSantis said. “If you’re over 60, you’ll be able to register and get the vaccine.”

The age change will take effect on March 15.

The governor had hinted that this would come sometime in March and said the age requirement will continue to decline as the number of vaccinations and supplies continues to increase, with each five-year age group totaling about 2 million. people in Florida to the eligible. get a shot.

The change occurs as the demand for seniors decreases and federal vaccination sites across the state continue to have a low turnout of eligible people.

“I think it’s the right time to do it. We’re starting to see how demand softens, ”DeSantis said.

Announcements

The new federal-run site in Jacksonville and the two satellite sites have had the capacity to vaccinate more than 15,000 people since they opened Wednesday, the same day as school staff, firefighters and police officers. People 50 and older, as well as people considered “Medically Vulnerable,” were able to begin receiving shots at Florida federal sites. But from day one through Sunday, the federal Gateway Mall site and the two satellite sites have only administered about 6,000 doses, averaging less than 1,200 per day out of the 3,000 doses per day allocated.

DeSantis also said the increase in supply also makes it easier to get appointments to get a vaccine at grocery stores and pharmacies.

“Hopefully next week we’ll get another Johnson & Johnson shipment, and I hope what we just got will be gone, probably in the next few days,” DeSantis said. “It seems to be quite popular.”

Announcements

With the general outline of how the vaccine will be developed in the future, DeSantis has once again opted to break with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC recommends that essential front-line workers, such as grocery workers, manufacturers, and public transportation workers, be among the first groups to receive the phase 1b vaccine. In Phase 1c, the CDC says, people between the ages of 65 and 74, as well as other essential workers such as those in the food service industry and others who interact with large numbers of people, should be vaccinated for limit community outreach.

Health officials say people like grocery store workers should be vaccinated because they come into contact with the elderly and other vulnerable people every day.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said the state sees “chaos, confusion, frustration” and “lack of clarity” during the deployment of the vaccine.

Announcements