From April 5, all people over 18 years of age will be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Florida, after the extension was announced this Thursday will expand the age limit for vaccination.
The governor of the state, Ron DeSantis, announced that the extension of the age ranges to receive the retroviral will be gradual, beginning on March 29 for those over 40 and continuing on April 5 for those over 18.
It is the first state to resort to this measure, as local authorities in the United States and in most countries have prioritized the vaccination of their medical personnel and vulnerable population, among those over 60 and those with chronic diseases .
DeSantis made the announcement in a video through his social networks, and also from a statement from his office published a statement informing of the necessary procedures to receive the vaccine and where it can be applied, mainly in pharmaceutical chains and supermarkets throughout Florida.
Florida had already expanded the minimum age limit for vaccination, allowing those over 50, with some medical conditions, in addition to essential workers, to receive the vaccine.
According to DeSantis, the expansion was done because all seniors in Florida had already been vaccinated against the virus.
“Now we have vaccinated more than 70% of the approximately 4.4 million older people who live in the state,” he said at the time.
“We have made great progress and I look forward to continuing to work hard to make sure that everyone in Florida who wants to get the vaccine can do so,” DeSantis said in his most recent video.
Despite the message in favor of vaccination and the facilities it gives to acquire the vaccine, the governor has not implemented the mandatory vaccination against COVID-19, allowing a large percentage of “anti-vaccines” to remain without immunization.
This compromises the population that is vaccinated, as it can cause the virus to continue circulating, and even to register mutations.
Florida has been one of the most controversial states in the country since the beginning of the pandemic, due to the reluctance of its inhabitants and the governor himself to establish and follow security measures to prevent infections.
Despite this, the vaccination campaign has been successful, because according to official figures, while on March 1 there were 77 deaths of residents due to COVID-19, on March 23 the figure was reduced to only two.
Florida continues to be the state with the highest number of infections in the country, with an average of 5,000 cases a day, and at the same time the United States is the country with the highest number of infections in the world, despite its strong economy.