Miami first? Mayor looks to block non-residents from virus vaccine

Florida vaccination rates are increasing even as COVID-19 cases spike. Image via AP.

Miami’s mayor wants to reserve doses of the COVID-19 vaccine only for those who live inside the city limits under a policy he’s calling “Miami First.”

Mayor Francis Suarez pitched the idea at a city commission meeting Thursday as plans are being made for people to start receiving vaccinations as early as Wednesday at Marlins Park, the Miami Herald reported.

Federal regulations and guidance from emergency managers agree that there cannot be residency requirements for receiving the vaccine. But Suarez requested that the city manager and attorney “take all legal steps necessary to prevent non-residents of the city of Miami from receiving vaccines prior to the elderly and vulnerable population of our community and the general population of our city.”

Florida’s policy set by Gov. Ron DeSantis limits vaccinations to people 65 and over, rescue and healthcare workers, and people hospitals determine have conditions severe enough to receive early vaccinations.

Florida’s Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz came out firmly against residency requirements during a meeting of the House Pandemic and Public Emergencies Committee in Tallahassee on Thursday.

“You can’t do that,” Moskowitz said. “We got a dozen-plus fiscally constrained counties. People are going to have to cross county lines. We have transient populations here in the state. We can’t do that sort of stuff. It will have major implications down the road.”

At Marlins Park, government agencies are planning to move the current coronavirus testing site to one of the ballpark’s parking garages. Vaccinations will be set up on a parking lot just west of the stadium, the Herald reported.

The state is also administering the vaccine at Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami-Dade County. News outlets reported that county officials have been told the two stadium sites will receive 7,000 doses each of the vaccine next week.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, whose district includes parts of Miami, called it a bad idea to let cities reserve vaccine doses for their residents.

“We shouldn’t allow municipal borders to limit a person’s access to life-saving vaccines based on which side of the street they live on,” she said.