You must have at least a part-time residency to be vaccinated in Florida, says governor

ORLANDO, Fla. Anyone hoping to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in the Sunshine state should live in Florida at least part-time, according to health officials.

The new requirement was discussed Tuesday morning during a call with state emergency management officials, according to Seminole County Director of Emergency Management Alan Harris.

‘This is the story of the day. We just got permission at 11:15 this morning that if you do not have a home in the state of Florida, you should shoot somewhere else. “Many other countries fly here just to get the vaccine and then fly back home,” Harris said. You must have a driver’s license, a power bill or something that says you are a resident of the state of Florida. It will only start tomorrow morning. ‘

The change is in an effort to stop the so-called ‘vaccination tourism’, when people flock from one country to another to be vaccinated and then go home again after getting a chance.

Previously, all vaccines in Florida were open to everyone in the priority groups – frontline health workers, residents and staff of long-term care institutions and the elderly 65 years and older – regardless of the country or country where they live.

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As of Wednesday, vaccine distributors will no longer be allowed to administer COVID-19 vaccines to people from outside the state without proof that they live, own or rent in Florida. A driver’s license, utility bill or other proof must be shown, according to Harris.

Government Ron DeSantis also mentioned the requirement during a news conference in Cape Coral on Tuesday.

“You have to live here, full-time or at least part-time,” DeSantis said.

The change comes on the heels of another adjustment in the state’s efforts to get Florida’s most vulnerable vaccinated against the new coronavirus.

After three weeks of chaos during the deployment of vaccines in Florida to its most vulnerable residents, the director of emergency management in Florida on January 14 said a direct appointment system for COVID vaccinations should be ready within a few weeks, but an immediate timeline for the portal was not available.

[Register for the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida here]

Residents who are among the first priority groups should continue to check their local health services websites for information on appointments and where vaccinations take place.

As the state receives more doses, more individuals among the first groups will qualify for vaccine priorities. According to DeSantis, there are front-line workers, such as grocery stores, teachers and police.

Floridians are asked to be patient as the health department in the province draws up vaccination plans for millions of residents who meet the age qualifications. The state houses more than 4 million people aged 65 and older.

The vaccine is expected to be available to the general population only in the spring, including younger residents or non-frontline workers.

To date, 1,031,795 people have been vaccinated in Florida, according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Health, with more than 36,000 shots being fired at those outside the state. The FDOH also reports that 93,258 people got their second shot. 45,056 people are in arrears for their second vaccination.

Harris said that everyone who received their first dose of COVID-19 in Seminole County would receive the large dose and be able to receive their second dose at the same location, but that health officials would crack down on the residency requirement from Wednesday.

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