All Florida counties have access to a COVID-19 vaccine, says the governor

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida. – All 67 Florida counties now have at least one website that offers a coronavirus vaccine.

Governor Ron DeSantis emphasized the statement on Tuesday, announcing that Publix was expanding its vaccination program.

Floridians 65 and older can now go to any Publix pharmacy in Palm Beach County to get a coronavirus vaccine, expanding the opportunity for people to get the injection.

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DeSantis made the announcement outside a Publix grocery store in Jupiter, saying the decision to expand the vaccination program was an easy one after seeing success in other smaller counties across the state.

“My opinion is, see – when things work, you want to move on. If people are satisfied, you want to do that, ”he said.

Palm Beach County is among the hardest hit by the virus, usually after Miami-Dade and Broward counties in most cases. This will be the first major county where Publix pharmacies will implement their vaccination program since the partnership with the state. With all 67 supermarkets offering opening hours, the governor believes it has the potential to contain the spread of the virus.

“When I met with the county staff, they said that, according to their calculations, 90% of all seniors in Palm Beach County live less than a mile from at least one Publix,” he said. “There are 100 to 125 doses of each of these per day.”

[Here’s how to register for the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida | Click here for Publix locations offering vaccine appointments]

Speaking a few hours later in Cape Coral, DeSantis said as of Thursday, all Publix pharmacies in Lee County will offer the injections.

The program has also expanded to seven Publix pharmacies in Martin County, as well as locations in Islamorada and Key West, both located in Monroe County.

The governor spoke again in Brevard County on Tuesday afternoon, announcing that 22 Publix pharmacies would also be administering injections starting on Thursday.

The governor said the appointments would open on Wednesday, with vaccines administered on Thursday.

With the inclusion of Brevard County, the governor said 242 Publix pharmacies across the state would be providing the vaccine to people aged 65 and over.

When asked about the potential to expand the Publix program to other hard-hit counties, the governor said his focus was on putting older people first and ensuring that all Florida residents had access to vaccines.

“Initially, we only focused on a few counties with a high elderly population, but perhaps not as robust in healthcare systems as you would see in Miami-Dade or Orlando,” he said of expanding the vaccination partnership with Publix. “But even rural counties have at least one place where you can get the vaccine.”

He said Publix is ​​a “great force multiplier”, calling the partnership a powerful tool in efforts to vaccinate Florida’s elderly, but said he also plans to support vaccination efforts by continuing with places of worship, places of movement. and working with county health departments.