Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is cracking down on what is known as “vaccine tourism”.
Florida will soon require proof of residence for people receiving the COVID-19 vaccines, Governor Ron DeSantis announced this week.
Starting on Wednesday, people who show up for vaccinations in Seminole County, Florida, will be asked to show their Florida identity or a utility bill to receive the injection, according to ABC News Orlando’s WFTV affiliate. The new policy, which applies to vaccination posts administered by the government, will later be extended to other municipalities in the state.
“We are just doing [vaccines] for Florida residents, “DeSantis said during a press conference on Tuesday.” You have to live here full time or at least part time.
The changes stem from concerns about “vaccine tourism”, following an executive order issued by DeSantis that opened the vaccination for anyone aged 65 or over, but did not require proof of residence.
The opening of vaccination has resulted in long lines, with some elderly people even camping overnight on lawn chairs in the hope of being vaccinated.
Florida has reported 1.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 24,578 deaths from the virus, according to the state health department.
As of Wednesday, Florida has distributed 2.5 million vaccines and administered approximately 1.2 million of them, which translates to 5,773 vaccines administered for every 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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