PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — In Florida's mission to put "Seniors First," the state wants to help homebound veterans of World War II and the Korean War have access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday that Florida is expanding its vaccination pilot program for homebound seniors, and will prioritize war veterans who can't leave their homes.
"They put their lives on the line for our country, and we need to be there for them," DeSantis said. "We're gonna work to make sure these veterans get vaccinated."
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The governor made the announcement at Kings Gate, a retirement community in Port Charlotte.
In addition to World War II and Korean War veterans, Florida is also prioritizing homebound seniors who are Holocaust survivors and veterans of the Bay of Pigs invasion to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
To learn more about the vaccination process for veterans in Florida, click here.
According to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health, 2,110,794 people in Florida have received the COVID-19 vaccine, including 1,557,223 seniors who are 65 and older. DeSantis said that represents about 30% of Florida's senior population.
"The more seniors we do, the more the demand may soften a little bit," DeSantis said. "And then as soon as we see that a sufficient number of seniors who want it have gotten it, then we can look at expanding to potentially other age groups or occupations."