KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says it could be a "couple more months" before he receives the highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine.
At the end of an environmental news conference in Key Biscayne on Monday, the governor was asked when he expects to be vaccinated.
"I am not stepping in line with anybody," DeSantis said. "So, I'm less than 45, I'd imagine it'll take me a couple more months. I will do it, but I'm not gonna step in line."
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Earlier on Monday, DeSantis said Florida is set to receive nearly 500,000 more doses of two COVID-19 vaccines this week.
According to the governor, the Sunshine State received about 61,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna on Monday, with another 300,000 doses expected to arrive on Tuesday.
DeSantis said those doses will go to more than 170 hospitals throughout Florida.
In addition, the governor said the state will receive a second shipment of about 120,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer on either Monday or Tuesday.
"Our goal is to be able to get it out for folks who are able to help the people as best they can," DeSantis said, adding that he hopes Florida will have 750,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of December.
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The governor said he plans to make an announcement on Tuesday about Florida's next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations, following frontline health care workers and long-term care facilities.
"Our whole strategy around COVID has always recognized the dramatic discrepancy in risk based on age," DeSantis said. "If you're trying to mitigate based on age, surely you would want to vaccinate based on age."
The governor cited research that he said shows if you vaccinate the bulk of the 70 and older population, the COVID-19 mortality rate goes "really, really down."
"The fact is, the mortality among essential workers is a fraction of what it is in the senior population," DeSantis said. "And so, the more you're able to provide protection to senior citizens, the less stress you have on hospitals and obviously, the more lives you're gonna save."