JUPITER, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that the COVID-19 vaccine will now be offered at Publix pharmacies throughout Palm Beach County.
"We are expanding the state's partnership with Publix to Palm Beach County," DeSantis announced during a news conference outside a Publix in Jupiter.
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DeSantis said all 67 Publix pharmacies in Palm Beach County will have the vaccine, as well as seven in Martin and two in Monroe counties.
Later in the day, DeSantis announced that another 39 Publix locations in southwest Florida would begin offering the vaccine -- all 32 in Lee County and seven in Charlotte County.
The governor said that brings the total to 220 Publix pharmacies across 17 Florida counties.
"If you think about that throughput, that's 100 to 125 shots at each one of those a day," DeSantis said. "Up to this point, we've done -- we've worked with Publix in -- medium-size counties with high senior populations. This is the first really large county that we're doing with a high senior population."
Over the last few weeks, DeSantis has announced more Publix partnerships with the state and its efforts to get the COVID-19 vaccine to Florida residents who are 65 and older.
DeSantis met with Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner last week in West Palm Beach to discuss the distribution of the vaccine.
In meeting with county officials, DeSantis said, they estimated that 90% of Palm Beach County's senior population lives within a mile-and-a-half of at least one Publix.
DeSantis said registration would begin Wednesday in Palm Beach County, and shots will be administered as early as Thursday.
"It's by appointment only, so don't just show up," DeSantis said.
To make an appointment at a Publix in Florida, click here.
