Florida will ensure that seniors who do not live in long-term care facilities are the first members of the general public to receive doses of the governor’s coronavirus vaccine. Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis, Queens Republican club’s indoor holiday party goes viral for conga line Ousted Florida, a health scientist, sues for state raid on her home UK pushes White House to lift travel ban : report MORE (R) said Wednesday.
During a press conference, DeSantis said he intends to sign an executive order that will give priority to people over the age of 65 for the next doses, rather than essential workers.
“We want to work to pass this on to our elderly population. We believe it is very important to reduce mortality, to reduce the number of people who need to be hospitalized for COVID-19,” DeSantis said.
The movement breaks with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommended people over the age of 75, as well as essential non-health care workers, such as police officers, grocery store workers, teachers and employees of the meat packing factory. the vaccine as part of “phase 1b”.
The CDC has given priority to health care workers and nursing home residents in the first round of vaccinations, and states have largely adopted the same guidelines.
But with limited doses, states and public health officials are being forced to ration the shots at very specific populations.
Some states emphasize specific subgroups in their plans, while others rely on front-line employers, such as hospitals, to determine who should be on the front line.
Regardless of priorities, vaccinations will take time.
Florida has more than 4 million people over the age of 65, DeSantis said, advising people to be patient.
“We don’t have enough vaccine to make everyone in Florida right now. We have vaccine doses in the hundreds of thousands,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said he did not want to prioritize vaccinating younger people, even if they work with “essential” jobs, over someone who is older.
“It doesn’t make sense for someone who is 42 to jump in front of a person who is 70,” DeSantis said. “I want to make sure that if a dose stays here at Pensacola for this week, I want it to go to an elderly person. [person]. “
DeSantis said that once a hospital finishes vaccinating front-line health workers, care should be given immediately to people over the age of 65.
He did not give a timeline on when this could be done, but noted that since some county health departments are starting to receive small amounts of vaccines, they will start in the 65-year-old group. years and older in the coming months.
To date, approximately 70,000 photos have been administered to health care workers and seniors in Florida’s long-term care facilities, DeSantis said.
Florida is not the only one breaking the CDC’s guidelines for the second round of vaccinations, but states do not have to follow what the agency recommends. There is no federal mandate on immunization priorities.
For example, Texas announced this week that it will give priority to those aged 65 and over in “Phase 1b”, but also to those who are considered at high risk due to certain medical conditions, such as cancer, obesity, a heart condition or type 2 diabetes.
“Focusing on people 65 and older or who have comorbidities will protect the most vulnerable populations,” said Imelda Garcia, chair of the Texas Vaccine Allocation Commission and associate commissioner for laboratory services and infectious diseases at the Department of Human Resources. State of Texas. Health services.
“This approach ensures that Texans at the highest risk of COVID-19 can be protected between races and ethnicities and regardless of where they work,” Garcia said.
The state does not give priority to teachers, agricultural workers or other “essential” workers until there is more supply.
Massachusetts places prisoners and correctional officers in the first round of vaccine recipients because they work and live in congregation settings. The first round will include first responders, such as police officers and firefighters, as well as health workers.
“It’s easy to do, to reduce the value of the prisoners. But they’re in a meeting condition. The virus enters, they don’t have many options. They’re guarded by their owners,” said John Grabenstein, general manager of Vaccine Dynamics.
Experts say it is not unreasonable for states to deviate from what the CDC recommends, and understand that officials are struggling with thorny ethical issues.
States appreciate different populations – some will give priority to stopping the spread of the virus, while others will give priority to limiting the number of deaths. More states are expected to deviate from the CDC’s suggestions in the future.
“I think this speaks to the dilemma of how to balance these things simultaneously with limited doses, the risk of exposure and its consequences, compared to … morbidity and mortality,” said Bruce Gellin, president of global immunization for the Sabin Vaccine Institute.
“With a limited supply, I think that’s why the governors welcome the general framework. They can work within it or choose differently, but at least that’s the starting point,” Gellin said.