Vaccine Eligibility Expanded To Police, Firefighters & Teachers Over 50

Tallahassee, FL - Governor Ron DeSantis issues a new executive order that will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include law enforcement officers, firefighters, and teachers, all over the age of 50. Monday’s (March 1st) new order expands on another order Gov. DeSantis issued last Friday (February 26th), which allows hospitals and physicians to vaccinate anyone under the age of 65 that is determined to be "extremely vulnerable" to the effects of COVID-19. Initially, only hospitals were able to provide COVID-19 vaccines. Since December, Florida has been focused primarily on vaccinating seniors—who make up over 20 percent of the state’s population. Data published by the Florida Department of Health shows 2,302,943 individuals over the age of 65 have received a COVID-19 vaccine, while 1,245,811 have completed their vaccine series. In total, 4,725,849 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine  have been administered to 3,034,636 people in the state—1,691,213 or over 55 percent of vaccinated individuals have completed their vaccine series.