Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that Publix stores in some Florida counties will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to bolster the state’s vaccination campaign.
During a press conference at Sawgrass Village Publix on Wednesday, the Governor said that Publix pharmacies in Volusia, Collier, Flagler and St. Johns counties will begin taking appointments for vaccine shots this week.
DeSantis had previously announced that vaccines would be offered to people 65 and older at Publix stores in: Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Marion, Citrus and Hernando counties.
That brings the total to 105 Publix locations in 12 counties. “We believe this can make a difference,” DeSantis said. “Our philosophy is if something works, let’s double down on it.”
Each store can administer between 100 to 125 vaccine shots per day.
The governor said the plan is to continue adding more counties with Publix locations as vaccination sites, especially in more rural communities with smaller hospital systems.
Appointments are required at publix.com/covid-vaccine. DeSantis said that if there are no available slots, residents should hold tight until the stores get additional batches of the vaccines.
He also noted reports of close to 400,000 seniors in Florida having received vaccines, which he said is “the most by any state by a country mile.” DeSantis said 60% of the state’s vaccinations have gone to people 65 years and older.
Though the governor didn’t specifically say people living out of state would be turned away from vaccine opportunities, he did emphasize that shot clinics in Florida are for Floridians.
