Shares Federal Vaccine Location Information for Florida Parents
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried, an independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet, called for Governor Ron DeSantis and his Florida Department of Health to order vaccines for children under the age of 5 being provided by the federal government to be administered through the state. Florida is the only state to have not pre-ordered vaccines for this age group, which are expected to be available as early as next week following FDA approval this morning. The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics has also raised concerns over the state’s position and called on the Governor to make the vaccines available as soon as possible. View video of the Commissioner’s remarks here.
“Governor DeSantis is once again putting children at risk for political gain, pushing an anti-science agenda. Not only is his Department of Health not recommending lifesaving vaccines for kids — against mainstream public health guidance — they are taking away parents’ rights to protect their children by being the only state in the nation to not pre-order these vaccines. This is a dangerous decision that we know will hurt underserved communities the most,” said Commissioner Fried. “But having spoken with the White House yesterday, I know it’s not too late for Florida to place an order. I stand with pediatricians and parents across the state in calling on the Governor to order these vaccines and not block access, forcing your choice to ignore science on others.
“If the Governor fails to do the right thing by the people of our state, I want all Florida parents to know that these vaccines will still be available, as the federal government is once again having to step up due to the leadership void by the Governor,” Commissioner Fried continued. “Federally qualified health centers in Florida along with many retail pharmacies that have enrolled in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 vaccine distribution will still be providing these vital vaccines in the state, and you can visit vaccines.gov to find a location near you.”
