Florida: The first state to vaccinate more than 500,000 individuals 65 years of age

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said today “Florida remains steadfast in our commitment to putting Seniors First and the numbers speak for themselves.”

Florida is first in the nation in the vaccination of seniors 65+ based on publicly available data from other states–the first state  in the nation to vaccinate more than 500,000 individuals 65 years of age or older and is one of only three states to administer vaccines to more than one million people.

Florida continues to have the highest percentage of vaccines administered to seniors 65 and older, with vaccinations in that age bracket accounting for nearly 65% of total vaccinations in the state.

The targeted approach of vaccinating Florida seniors is a direct result of key efforts by Governor DeSantis to ensure access to vaccine sites for those 65 and older:

• Governor DeSantis led the way in prioritizing vaccine access to Florida’s seniors, and as a result, Florida was the first state to put Seniors First. The federal government is now recommending that states prioritize vaccine access to seniors age 65 and older.
• This week, Governor DeSantis announced the expansion of the state’s partnership with Publix to establish COVID-19 vaccination sites at an additional 137 Publix locations, for a total of 242 Publix locations in 18 counties. For a list of all vaccination sites at Publix locations in Florida, click HERE.
• In total, more than 70 vaccination sites have been opened statewide in partnership with local communities and hospitals. Find the full list HERE. In addition to Publix, the State has worked collaboratively at all levels to increase vaccine access statewide to include utilizing places of worship, hospital partnerships and state-run vaccination sites.
• Under Governor DeSantis’ direction, the Florida Division of Emergency Management continues to work to administer vaccines in more than 4,000 long-term care facilities across the state. These efforts are supplementing and accelerating the vaccinations being undertaken by CVS and Walgreens, pursuant to their agreement with the federal government and reaffirms Florida’s commitment to prioritize vaccine access to our most vulnerable populations. The state is expecting to finish this mission by the end of the month.
• Governor DeSantis reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the two-dose regimen for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, despite discussions happening at the federal level regarding vaccine allocations. His statement is available HERE.