Florida had given 40,965 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to non-residents despite limited supplies before limiting doses to residents and health care workers on Thursday.
Florida has announced new restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines, limiting them to residents and health care workers after nearly 41,000 people from out of state and abroad received the vaccine despite limited supplies. A public health advisory signed by State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees on Thursday mandates that the vaccine be given to only Florida residents and people in the state for “the purpose of providing health care services involving direct contact with patients,” noting that “vaccine availability in Florida is extremely limited.” The order applies to the first of two vaccine doses, meaning that the thousands from out of state who have already received a first dose will be able to complete the course. Prior to the order, thousands of people from other states and abroad may have traveled to Florida due to relaxed vaccination rules, which had allowed anyone aged 65 and older to receive the vaccine with no requirement for residency. Some of those who had taken advantage of the rules included wealthy foreigners jetting in from countries with more restrictive policies, according to a report from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
