Parents walk their children on the first day of school on August 10, 2021, at West Tampa Elementary School in Tampa, Florida, in the midst of a coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Octavio Jones | Reuters
Florida parents with children under the age of five may find that they are waiting longer than in other parts of the country to welcome their youngest child. Vaccination against Covid Because state officials have decided not to order doses for that age group.
Florida is the only state that has not submitted a request to the federal government for a dose of Covid vaccine specifically tailored for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Expectations The number of US regulators granting permits for that age group as early as this weekend was said by those familiar with the matter.
The Florida Department of Health said the state did not order vaccines from the federal government, but instead left individual doctors to request vaccines directly.
Authorities said in a statement, “The state does not have to be involved in a complex vaccine distribution process, especially if the federal government has a track record of developing inconsistent and unsustainable COVID-19 policies. Revealed. “”
“It’s also natural that we chose not to participate in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine when the department did not recommend it to all children,” the agency added.
The Miami Herald First reported the status of Florida outliers.
Food and Drug Administration advisers voted Wednesday, Moderna When PfizerInfant vaccines, and FDA authorities Will be approved Vaccine for the next few days. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisors are expected to vote on whether to approve shots this weekend.
Children under the age of 5 are still the only group unable to be vaccinated with Covid due to a delay of several months due to the vaccine manufacturer’s additional research.
Peter Markes, the FDA’s highest vaccine regulator, told the FDA Commission Wednesday.
As soon as federal agency approved, government officials said they were ready to start shipping doses immediately and expect the first shot to be armed on Tuesday.
The federal government began ordering 10 million doses from the state two weeks ago. However, Florida has not placed an order, so it is unclear when parents will be able to vaccinate their young children.
As of last week, 52 of the 62 jurisdictions ordered the first batch of 5 million batches, and authorities are still discussing with other jurisdictions to warn them to accept the order. week.
Florida’s decision not to seek vaccines from the federal government could step up scrutiny of Governor Ron DeSantis’ response to a pandemic. DeSantis, a Republican and potential presidential candidate for 2024, Candid opponent Vaccine and mask obligations During a pandemic..
The Florida Department of Health released guidance in March, stating that healthy children aged 5 to 17 “may not benefit from vaccination with the currently available COVID-19 vaccine” for the underlying illness. A parent with a child said he needed to discuss the risks and benefits with his doctor.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist said Wednesday that the state’s refusal to order vaccines from its youngest children is “reckless and rude.”
“Governor DeSantis has once again failed the Florida people in protecting them from the pandemic,” Christ said in a statement. “And his recent failure is head-on to our children.”
