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MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order this week stating that 65-year-olds and older will be next in line for COVID-19, violating the advice of a disease control center for the next group, including 75 for years and over. as essential front-line workers. What is missing from this directive is an implementation plan for the launch of the accompanying vaccine, which leads to confusion and a fragmented approach in South Florida.
Mount Sinai has said it has started vaccinating people aged 75 and older on Thursday, but is awaiting instructions for the next step from state health officials who cut off the radio.
“What’s interesting about this population is that they want to be vaccinated,” said Steven Sonenreich, president and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center. Mount Sinai Medical Center received a limited amount of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
- Mount Sinai will extend eligibility for vaccination to people over the age of 75 and the first responders in the community.
- People who meet these criteria can schedule a meeting by calling Mount Sinai from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday and 8:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The programming line will be closed for Christmas and New Year.
- Call 305-674-2312.
- Accessories are not accepted.
- The patient must bring an identity card issued by the government (preferably a driving license) or passport upon appointment.
- Upon arrival, patients will be asked a series of qualification questions.
Sonenreich said the hospital has already started vaccinating people aged 75 and over by appointment only. The doses are part of the hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine allocation, also serving front-line health workers.
“We want to try to implement as much vaccine as possible. I think there are a number of other hospitals that will follow our example in the coming days, “Sonenreich said.
Mount Sinai seems to be an outlier. “We now have the opportunity for hospitals to bend the curve of this pandemic, and I think we should do everything we can to distribute as much vaccine as possible,” Sonenreich said.
On Wednesday, DeSantis warned: “We don’t have enough vaccine to make everyone. Don’t rush to the local county hospital or the health department right now, “he said.
According to Broward Health, that’s exactly what people did. Seniors from the community showed up at the hospital to register, but as we heard from Memorial Healthcare System, the initial dose allocations received are still administered to front-line care workers, not community members yet.
At the Jackson Health System, they began vaccinating long-term care patients on Thursday and said that, based on the governor’s new ordinance, “We will begin vaccinating existing patients with Jackson, giving priority to those over 75.” Extending more than they said depends on when more doses become available.
In Miami-Dade County, Fire Rescue Captain Jason Fernandez said he would begin vaccinating firefighters starting this weekend, then expanding to county workers over the age of 65 starting next week.
“I am very passionate about this – to have this vaccine distributed to all these populations as soon as possible,” said Sonenreich.
With more than 4 million people over the age of 65 in Florida, there are more seniors than the doses available in the state right now. There was no indication from the state as to how it intends to distribute the vaccines to that priority group.
Local 10 News has contacted state health officials several times in the past two days and no one has responded.
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