Florida vaccine age requirement will lower to 60+ starting next week

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that beginning next Monday, March 15, all Floridians ages 60 and over will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I know a lot of people have been waiting,” the governor said.

DeSantis said the change will allow about 2 million additional people to qualify for the vaccine.

Seniors 65 and up currently qualify to receive the vaccine, as well as frontline healthcare workers and school personnel, regardless of age. Sworn law enforcement officers ages 50 and older and firefighters 50 and older may also receive the vaccine, as can people deemed “extremely vulnerable” to COVID-19.

DeSantis has reiterated his mission to “put seniors first” during his news conferences each week and said the state will likely have vaccinated 3 million seniors by the end of the week.

He said more than 50% of seniors have been vaccinated so far in the Sunshine State.

He said Broward and Palm Beach counties had some of the highest numbers of seniors who have received at least their first shot, with Broward at 62% and Palm Beach County at nearly 67%.

The Republican governor made the announcement Monday at a news conference where he also railed against the latest $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package. He said the package rewards states that are continuing to struggle to contain the outbreak while penalizing states like his that have been faring better.

DeSantis called on the federal government to revise the distribution model, arguing that money should be doled out on a per-capita basis.

Related links

List of cases by city in South Florida

Find a COVID-19 testing site near you

Hospital bed capacity and availability

Coronavirus cases in Florida schools

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Amanda Batchelor headshot

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

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