DeSantis Hopeful COVID-19 Vaccines Will Ship To Florida Hospitals By December's End

WFSU | By Robbie Gaffney

Published November 20, 2020 at 7:46 AM EST

In this March 16, 2020, file photo, Neal Browning receives a shot in the first-stage safety study of a potential vaccine for COVID-19 at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. Moderna Inc., said Monday, Nov. 16, its COVID-19 vaccine is proving to be highly effective in a major trial.

Governor Ron DeSantis says he's hopeful Florida hospitals will receive COVID-19 vaccine shipments in the next three to six weeks. That's pending vaccine approval from the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration. DeSantis didn't say how many doses will be coming to Florida but notes the news is heartening. Five Florida hospital systems can store one of the vaccines, Pfizer, at cold temperatures.

"Now shortly thereafter or maybe even at the same time that hospitals are receiving the vaccine, both CVS and Walgreens will also begin receiving vaccine[s] to administer residents of long-term care facilities to, of course, our most vulnerable citizens when it comes to COVID-19," DeSantis says.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is partnering with pharmacies and pharmacy workers in retail and grocery stores to increase availability and distribution. In a statement, the agency said most Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy.