Florida is the only state in the United States that has not mandated COVID-19 vaccines for infants ahead of final approval by the federal government, and Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday that he will not facilitate their distribution, although he noted that they will be available to anyone who wants them.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, who confirmed Thursday that Florida had not requested the vaccines, said not pre-ordering them could result in delays in their availability at children’s hospitals and other facilities that have relied on state distribution of the vaccines. .
Florida officials said the vaccines will be available at pharmacies and community health centers, which can order them from the federal government in advance, and that children’s hospitals and other clinics could order them from the federal government through a state portal and receive them quickly.
“Doctors can get them. Hospitals can get them. But there won’t be any state programs trying to get the COVID-19 vaccines for young children and newborns,” DeSantis said at a news conference. “We’re not going to use our resources on that.”
Federal approval of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for administration to children 6 months to 5 years could come as soon as next week. Advisors to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, for its acronym in English) gave their approval to the vaccines of both companies for children under 5 years – approximately 18 million -, arguing that their benefits outweigh any risks.
The Florida Department of Health does not recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children under the age of 17, but says children with pre-existing health conditions should be considered candidates. That recommendation contradicts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which so far recommends the doses for everyone over 5, saying the shots provide strong protection against hospitalization and death from the disease. .
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