Governor Ron DeSantis and the main Republican lawmaker in Hernando County defended the launch of the coronavirus vaccine in Florida on Wednesday, saying the state is a national leader in the effort and touting the lack of a detailed plan as a plus. .
“We are addressing this pandemic in a way that other states are not,” State Representative Blaise Ingoglia said at a news conference in Brooksville, where DeSantis announced a new vaccination site for the elderly aged 65 and over.
“What other states are doing wrong, I believe this governor is getting it right.”
Two things make Florida stand out when it comes to vaccine implementation: it is one of only two states to prioritize residents aged 65 and over in its first distribution phase, and it is the only state that has not specifically told residents who will receive the vaccines. vaccines after that group.
Critics said the latest distinction caused confusion and increased uncertainty around vaccines.
On Tuesday, the governor suggested that teachers and police officers aged 50 or older will have access to the shots afterwards. But he offered no further details, using the words “probably” and “I think” to describe who would be eligible.
Facing questions on Wednesday from reporters, DeSantis said details of shooting at teachers and police will not be announced until next week.
He did not answer a question about the lack of a comprehensive distribution plan in Florida. Instead, he praised the state’s vaccination rate for the elderly and criticized other states for updating their plans over time.
“If you look, many of these (states) have adopted plans and have already had to change them,” said DeSantis. “We didn’t do that.”
Ingoglia praised DeSantis for prioritizing the elderly and making sure they get vaccines, saying other states have started to follow his example.
As of this week, Florida had vaccinated nearly 2 million of its residents aged 65 and over, state data show. About 75% of the 2.7 million injections administered in the state went to this group.
Other groups identified as priorities for vaccination by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – such as essential workers and people under 65 who have underlying medical conditions that make them vulnerable to COVID-19 – are still waiting not only for vaccines, but by releasing information about when they can receive them.
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