Ron DeSantis Says Florida’s 4.4M Elderly Will Get Vaccine Before Essential Workers

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that the state’s elderly population would be given priority over essential workers for the COVID-19 vaccine. Speaking from The Villages as several elderly residents and health-care workers received doses of the Pfizer vaccine, DeSantis came out against a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to vaccinate essential workers like teachers in the same wave as those 75 years and older. “We’re not going to put young healthy workers ahead of our vulnerable elderly population,” he said. “The vaccines are going to be targeted where the risk is the greatest, and that is in our elderly population.” At the same time, he appeared at least vaguely aware that there would be logistical difficulties in vaccinating all 4.4 million members of the state’s elderly population before essential workers. “We are not going to have over the next six weeks 4.4 million doses. We probably will have a couple million, and so what I would say to the elderly population, it’s going to be reserved for you,” he said. “This is coming soon. Just stay tuned.” DeSantis’ vaccination plan has already faced criticism from experts, who told The Daily Beast the case for essential workers in Florida to be moved up the line is “overwhelming” in light of the dangers they face in a state with no mask mandate.