A.G. Gancarski
Representatives for Florida’s Governor and the President of the United States traded sharp statements about vaccine supply issues Monday in what is sure to be the first of many terse exchanges between Tallahassee and Washington.
On Monday evening, the spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis released a statement responding to what was called “the misinformation from the White House regarding Florida’s vaccination numbers.”
Meredith Beatrice, who directs strategic initiatives for DeSantis, chose to “present the facts,” which include Florida leading the nation per capita in vaccines administered.
“Despite the challenge of limited vaccine supply at the federal level, Gov. DeSantis has led the charge to create a robust and innovative infrastructure for vaccinations here in Florida and we are prepared if and when additional vaccine comes,” Beatrice asserted.
That statement was an after business hours rejoinder to Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden‘s Press Secretary, who said Florida had considerable undistributed supply Monday.
“And I will note — because we’re data first here, fact first here — they’ve only distributed about 50 percent of the vaccines that they have been given in Florida. So, clearly, they have a good deal of the vaccine. That supply will need to continue to increase as they are able to effectively reach people across the state,” Psaki told reporters in D.C.
Those comments came a short time after the Governor’s claim in Jacksonville that Florida was at the “mercy” of the federal government regarding vaccine supplies. DeSantis, who has not demonstrated any outreach to the new administration, urged “seniors” to pressure their representatives in Washington and the Biden administration.
“I tell the seniors: Write your Congressman and your Senators,” DeSantis advised Monday at a Jacksonville long-term care facility. “Tell them to talk to the administration. Have them send more Pfizer and Moderna to the states.”
DeSantis is closely aligned with former President Donald Trump, and many distribution criticisms were kept opaque during the initial weeks of Operation Warp Speed. The current challenges are nothing new, as DeSantis himself notes, but go back some weeks,
However, the early days of the Biden administration have found a heightened urgency in the narrative.
In Jacksonville, the Governor made repeated rhetorical appeals, consistent with other recent showups, for more supply. Monday’s tone was particularly urgent, making a direct case that the feds are not delivering what the state needs.
“We are telling the federal government that they are in control of this. We don’t have a big cache sitting around at the state. We only get what they send us. The sole focus of the federal government should be increasing the first doses to the state.”
The Governor said the state’s capacity to administer vaccinations “far outstrips what we are being given by the feds.”
“We are getting about 266,000 first doses a week. We clearly have the capacity to do much, much more than that,” DeSantis contended. “If we can get 500,000 a week instead of 266 (thousand,) we’ll be able to vaccinate that many more seniors that much more quickly.”
As the Biden administration continues to fine tune its vaccine distribution, expect more discrepancies between the narratives from Tallahassee and Washington.
12 comments
Frankie M.
January 25, 2021 at 1:46 pm
what a difference a few days make…lmao
Sandy
January 25, 2021 at 3:44 pm
Why didn’t he say something two weeks ago when his hero was in the White House? Why did he encourage people from out of state and out of the country to come to Fl to get their shots? “ Come to Fl, get your shot and stay awhile”..he is a vile human being.
James Robert Miles
January 25, 2021 at 4:09 pm
DeSatan is out of his element. Like his dear leader Trump, DeSatan can NOT handle this pandemic! He should resign!!
Sonja Fitch
January 25, 2021 at 4:48 pm
This is pathetic! Duffus Desantis you have willingly slaughtering Floridians to please the goptrump death cult leader Trump ! Get out loser!
Bob Ramey
January 25, 2021 at 7:13 pm
DeSantis is so incompetent and in over his head. Now, he doesn’t have TrumptyDumpty to back up or provider cover for his lies. You deserve better FL.
Carol
January 26, 2021 at 3:38 am
So, there is a discrepancy between the state and federal message on COVID-19 vaccine supply. This is a “half-done” story. This is where we need the media to fact check both messages and to explain any context missing from the stated messages. We need the media to keep track of the ongoing messages. Not doing so allows misinformation to be taken as fact.
Charlotte Greenbarg
January 26, 2021 at 7:47 am
The frothing-mouths on the far left spewing again!🤪😜. Biden administration leads the way.
Palmer Tom
January 26, 2021 at 9:00 am
This piece fails to shed any light on whether it is true that there is a large cache of undistributed vaccine.
Daryl
January 26, 2021 at 10:54 am
Why would the Federal government send Florida more when they can obviously see that what they’ve already sent hasn’t been used?? Desantis… give out what you have in stock and you’ll get more!! What are you saving it for? Or did you sell it on the Black Market? It appears to everybody (except you), that things aren’t on the up and up!!
P.S. My 91 yo mother and all of her neighbors at Cypress Springs need their first round of vaccine!
Joey
January 26, 2021 at 11:05 am
This is the only state that is not vaccine for front of tbe line workers. I love old people but they are not the only ones on risk. Most of old people is home with less risk we are taking care of sick covid peole.
PeterH
January 26, 2021 at 11:39 am
Florida. Per Yesterday’s NYT tracker
6.4% population vaccinated
0.7%. Percentage who have received second dose
2,908,275 vaccine distributed to state
53% percentage of vaccine in arms
The White House is correct. The White House stated Florida is sitting on half of the doses! Where are the doses DeSantis?
Lynn
January 27, 2021 at 1:57 pm
You are a lying low life trying to find fault in President Biden’s presidency. Hey Bud, you couldn’t shine his shoes. Do you realize how stupid you sound every time you speak.
Comments are closed.