Ron DeSantis eyes open vaccine access as ‘Seniors First’ mission wraps

Image via AP.

Florida’s Governor visited a Pensacola baptist church Tuesday morning, offering an evangelistic spirit all his own.

Gov. Ron DeSantis went to the Zion Hope Primitive Baptist Church to highlight the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s vaccinations there through Thursday. The one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available to Floridians 50 years of age or older, for a total of 2,000 one-shot doses over the next three days.

DeSantis noted that more than 3 million shots have gone to seniors, to the tune of 70% of that cohort’s population.

“We think that will go up a little more,” DeSantis said, but not too much more, as “not everyone has demand for it.”

The Governor again gave credit to the J&J vaccine, noting that people “go through, get the shot” and “don’t have to worry about it” because it’s a one-and-done shot.

The new location, DeSantis said, was facilitated by a “trickle” of new one-shot vaccines.

“We didn’t think we were going to get any additional,” DeSantis said, “but they trickled out another 42,000.”

Some of those will be allocated to homebound seniors, with the one-shot convenience especially suitable for that cohort.

“There’s certain seniors where if you bring it to their homes, it’s good,” DeSantis said, noting 5,000 shots have been given in homes so far.

Rural counties still lag, DeSantis said, with a “demand issue” keeping them below the 70% to 75% threshold. But senior infection rates are down 87% in terms of the seven-day rolling average since January, the Governor noted, and 40 states have higher per-capita senior mortality.

While no more shots are scheduled for shipment currently, the Governor hopes to get “significant amounts” of the one-shot vaccine. He also expects demand to continue to ebb despite eligibility expansion, noting it was “more intense at the beginning of January than it is now.”

DeSantis added that “if demand continues to be manageable, we want to lower the age at the appropriate time.” That time has not been determined yet.

“We’re going to get to a point where it’s going to be available to everyone, it’s going to be relatively soon … way before May 1,” DeSantis said, referencing a timetable advanced earlier this month by President Joe Biden.

Vaccines, DeSantis said, would be “available to all, required for none.”