Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference in Hialeah, Florida. Wilfredo Lee / AP Photo
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced plans to open Covid-19 vaccine eligibility to people at least 18 years old years old, a week after criticizing a Democratic mayor for reducing the age requirement.
In a press release and video, DeSantis said there will be enough vaccines for younger residents, since 70 percent of the elderly in Florida have been immunized against the coronavirus. Beginning March 29, DeSantis will reduce the age of eligibility for the vaccine to 40 and, a week later, reduce it for adults aged 18 and over.
“While the Biden administration has set a target date of May 1 for vaccine eligibility for all adults, Florida is pleased to announce that all adults in the state aged 18 and over will be eligible for the vaccine from Monday, April 5, “said DeSantis. “We have made great progress and I look forward to continuing to work hard to ensure that everyone in Florida who wants a chance, can have a chance.”
More than 5.2 million Florida residents were vaccinated as of Wednesday, and DeSantis said more doses will be available in the coming weeks, as demand drops among younger residents. Its vaccine distribution plan gave top priority in December to frontline health care workers, nursing home residents and the elderly aged 65 and over, and parts of the state have seen demand drop for several weeks.
The May 1 deadline that President Joe Biden announced on March 11 spurred a race between Florida and other states to quickly open eligibility for the Covid-19 vaccine. Georgia residents at least 16 years old became eligible for the vaccine on Thursday. Alaska, Arizona and Mississippi also offer injections for residents aged 16 and over. Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom said the vaccine would be available to all residents in the coming weeks.
DeSantis’s announcement on Thursday came after Democratic Mayor Jerry Demings of Orange County last week reduced eligibility to 40 years or more at a county convention center vaccination site. When asked about a local elected official who is reducing the age of vaccination, DeSantis countered, “It’s not his decision.”
But Demings laughed this week when asked if he feared the governor’s retaliation.
“Those are just the words he’s using, you know, so we’ll go beyond that,” said Demings.