TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — All residents and staff members at long-term care facilities in Florida will have been offered a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of January, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday.
DeSantis gave an update on the state’s efforts to vaccinate seniors at River Garden Hebrew House for the Aged in Jacksonville, where about 97% of residents and staff have been vaccinated, according to the governor.
Florida has partnered with CVS and Walgreens to set up vaccine clinics at the state’s long-term care facilities. DeSantis said most nursing home residents were offered their first dose, and those at assisted living facilities will have been offered their first shot by the end of the month.
Roughly 22% of older adults 65 and over have received their first dose, according to DeSantis.
“We have done more senior vaccinations, 65 and up, than any other state in the country. And it’s not even close,” DeSantis said. “Almost 70% of every shot given in Florida so far has gone to a senior citizen, and that number is going to continue to grow.”
DeSantis also discussed the state’s extremely limited vaccine supply, saying they had administered between 300,000 and 450,000 doses in the first three weeks of January, but will only receive 226,100 doses between Monday and Tuesday.
“You’re going to see that there’s been shortages,” he said.
