TALLAHASSEE, Fla — Gov. Ron DeSantis put out a video message Wednesday morning to give Floridians an update on the state's plan for new therapeutics to treat COVID-19 and how Florida plans to distribute vaccines.
DeSantis said he was assured by top pharmacists from Walgreens and CVS that once a vaccine is available for use, it will be sent out to the more than 4,000 long-term care facilities in the state. While we wait for a vaccine, DeSantis said it's important to keep protecting the state's most vulnerable population, and that's why he set aside another 500,000 rapid tests for long-term care facilities.
DeSantis said the goal will be to make sure all of Florida's long-term care facilities get vaccines when they are available.
According to U.S. leaders with Operation Warp Speed, there will be an estimated 40 million doses of a vaccine available by the end of December nationwide.
Since that means there won't be enough of the vaccine for all Floridians in the beginning, priorities on who will get it first will be set, according to DeSantis.
"And in Florida, we are going to set priorities focusing on specifically those most vulnerable, elderly residents in long-term care facilities, as well as our frontline health care workers who are interacting with vulnerable patients day in and day out," DeSantis said.
DeSantis also talked about a new monoclonal antibody therapy called Regeneron that could help people who have COVID-19 recover. The governor said after Regeneron got its emergency use authorization, it was on its way to Florida hospitals.
This is the second new video message Gov. Desatis has put out over the last few days about the state's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
DeSantis has not held a press conference in person since the morning of Nov. 4.
