TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis said starting March 15 the state will be lowering the age to 60 years old for Florida residents that can receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
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DeSantis made the announcement during a Monday afternoon news conference at the state Capitol in Tallahassee.
"You're starting to see [vaccine] demand soften a little bit," the governor said.
DeSantis said that 2.6 million Florida seniors have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and anticipated the state hitting the three million mark this week.
"I would imagine the demand will be slightly lower for 60 to 64 [years old] than it was above 65, but we do anticipate the demand to be pretty robust," DeSantis said.
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He said he hopes to announce soon an expansion of vaccine sites for both CVS and Walgreens.
"Hopefully by next week we'll get another shipment of the Johnson & Johnson [vaccine into Florida]," he said.
Last week the state announced that all school employees and child care workers in Florida, regardless of age, can receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The governor was in Ocala on Friday where he announced a pop-up vaccine site for seniors and touted Florida's economy.
He later traveled to Polk County where 2,000 law enforcement members over 50 years old are receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The governor said the state will be looking at lowering the age requirements to receive the COVID-19 vaccine "sometime in March" for people either age 60 or 55 "relatively soon."
