He's created a mess, which is exactly why he did it. He wanted national attention. He's running for president, he's just waiting to announce for awhile. He's constantly doing photo-ops across the state when he doesn't need to be. I assume Florida pays a lot of that, if not all, not sure.
Pediatricians can order it now, the governor had to back off a little because he didn't know what he was doing. The state itself still didn't get any. He appointed a doctor here as Florida Surgeon General that is a real nutcase. He just gives DeSantis cover for his war against protecting people from the coronavirus.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article262807233.html
"Dozens of South Florida pharmacies, community health centers, children's hospitals and pediatricians received delivery this week of the first COVID-19 vaccines available for children as young as 6 months old — much earlier than anticipated after state officials missed a deadline for pre-ordering the shots.
But pediatricians and public health advocates working to vaccinate newly eligible children under 5 said they are throwing away the majority of the doses they have ordered because Gov. Ron DeSantis will not authorize state programs to administer the vaccines for infants and toddlers, effectively cutting off supply to many family doctors. The health department also will not promote the vaccines to parents, some of whom are hesitant to have their young children vaccinated.
Parents have mixed feelings about the vaccines. Some are actively seeking it for their children under 5, the last group to be authorized for the COVID vaccines. Others are holding back, concerned about whether there has been enough research on the vaccines and their impact on young children.
As a result, initial demand has been low, and doctors are throwing away vaccines. That's because each vaccine vial contains 10 doses, and once a vial is opened, it has to be used within 12 hours.
Pediatricians say they can no longer turn to their county health department to supply them with smaller amounts of the vaccine, which is what many doctors have been doing to procure the vaccine for older kids and adults, said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a University of Miami pediatrician and president of the Florida Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics."
And a grocery store here in Florida isn't going to offer it for kids under 5 and they won't say why:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/06/23/publix-covid-vaccination-young-children-florida/
But I'm sure it's politics.
Publix has donated to his campaign in the past ($100,000 in December 2020):
https://www.businessinsider.com/ron-desantis-accused-publix-pay-for-play-partnership-2021-4 |