:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/03-19-2021/t_3ec786456c3c4f77b1a472036ce2e3e0_name_image.jpg "The age requirement for the COVID vaccine drops to 50+ on Monday; vaccines for everyone before May 1")
TALLAHASSEE, Florida. – Governor Ron DeSantis gave a news conference on Friday morning in Tallahassee, in which he announced that he will reduce the age requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations to 50 and increase from Monday and will open vaccines for everyone “for sure” before May 1. “
He said it might even happen long before that.
“I can’t say exactly when this is going to happen, but I can say that it will be before May 1st. This is not even a question. So stay tuned to that, ”said DeSantis.
From Monday, March 22, Miami-Dade County vaccination sites will begin vaccinating people 50 years of age or older. Age eligibility will expand to over 40 on March 29, reducing the age by 10 years each week.
To pre-register with the county, visit https://t.co/dzvw6NxJma or call 305-614-2014.
– Daniella Levine Cava (@MayorDaniella) March 19, 2021
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed at a meeting on Friday that she would also reduce the age requirement at county-administered vaccination sites to 50 or more on Monday, but would further reduce the requirement for 40 years or more on the following Monday March 29th.
Orange County is reducing the age requirement to more than 40 as of next Monday. The governor criticized his plan on Friday.
“It’s not his decision,” said DeSantis. There is a structure in the state of Florida about how these decisions are made, ”he said.
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While Miami-Dade County and Orange County risk the governor “punishing” them for violating their rules, former state and federal prosecutor David Weinstein told Local 10 News, that mayors also face fiscal responsibility for getting doses financed by taxpayers with an arms life span.
“It becomes a bit of a political issue, but if the goal is to put vaccines effectively and efficiently in the arms of people living in Florida, then it must be up to the counties to decide how to use the doses that are assigned to them. “
The Florida Emergency Management Division has confirmed that this is the last weekend for the first dose of vaccines at state-run and FEMA-supported locations in South Florida.
The sites will be closed to those who need their first doses after Tuesday, March 23, giving minimal time for the newly qualified to receive vaccines at those sites. The vaccination site on the north campus of Miami Dade College will close at 7 pm and the satellite sites will close at 5 pm.
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Tuesday will also mark the start of the start of the second dose of vaccines in places supported by FEMA for those in need.
During Friday’s press conference, the governor also spoke about the demand for vaccines, saying it has been much easier for people to sign up for appointments than in previous months.
“We believe that even at current COVID vaccine quotas, demand has been relatively modest, certainly much more modest than at the end of December, when we were doing 65 and over. So, we think it makes sense, ”said DeSantis.
The governor also acknowledged that the state initially did not expect to receive any more doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the coming weeks, but confirmed that Florida would receive 42,000 doses next week.
DeSantis said J&J vaccines have not yet been confirmed for the next two weeks, but said it is possible that more shipments will arrive.
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According to the governor, the response to the single-dose J&J vaccine was extremely positive, despite some initial skepticism about the 66% effectiveness rate.
He said that studies show that the vaccine is 100% effective in preventing death.
State FEMA locations
Temporary federally supported vaccination sites are currently in the third week of operations. According to the state-owned company, they are only offering second doses for the next three weeks at the venues starting this Wednesday, March 24th.
Therefore, whoever wants to take the first dose, will have until Tuesday, March 23, in places with federal support.
The satellite locations will return to their original locations within the next three weeks, so that all individuals who have received their first dose at these locations can receive their second doses.
According to the state, the division will continue to post satellite programming online to reduce confusion about when the satellite sites will return to their previous locations.
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At the moment, in the last two weeks of operation (April 14 to 28), the state plans to offer the vaccine in a single dose Johnson and Johnson. This will allow individuals who were unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the first three weeks to have the opportunity to be vaccinated.
The state understands how these vaccination sites are essential to increasing access to the vaccine for Florida residents. The state is working closely with the federal government to assess whether these locations can remain open after April 28. This operation can be extended based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, increased allocation of vaccines and availability of resources. Additional details will be released as they become available.
Related Links:
List of cases by city in South Florida
Find a COVID-19 test site near you
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Capacity and availability of hospital beds
Coronavirus cases in Florida schools
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