TAMPA (WFLA) – Walgreens has joined Walmart and CVS in offering vaccines to Florida teachers of any age, circumventing state orders limiting coronavirus inoculations to anyone over the age of 50.
All three companies have said they are following Biden administration guidelines.
For teachers, Florida limits the vaccine to classroom teachers 50 and older who work in kindergarten through 12th grade. The federal guidelines allow daycare workers, preschool teachers, and educators in elementary, middle, and high schools to be vaccinated with no age limit.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that pharmacies operating under the federal program are able to vaccinate teachers under 50 and he cannot stop them from doing so.
A Walgreens corporate spokesperson told 8 On Your Side: Walgreens follows federal CDC, state and local guidelines for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Initially, vaccine inventory remains very limited and available to eligible individuals only.
According to CDC guidance, the following teachers and staff will be eligible:
- Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade,
- Childcare centers and family childcare providers, and
- Head Start and Early Head Start
Walgreens says they are receiving a weekly allocation for the state of Florida that will be distributed across a limited number of stores in the following Tampa Bay area counties: Citrus, Manatee, Pasco and Polk.
Eligible customers can schedule a vaccine appointment directly on the Walgreens website or call Walgreens’ phone scheduler at 1-800-Walgreens.
