TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday provided an update on the timeline for when a COVID-19 vaccine could be available in the Sunshine State.
In a three-minute YouTube video, the governor said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will meet on Dec. 10 to decide whether to grant an emergency use authorization to a COVID-19 from Pfizer.
DeSantis said his administration anticipates the FDA will review a COVID-19 from Moderna shortly thereafter.
"I spoke with the top pharmacist at both CVS and Walgreens involved in operation Warp Speed yesterday," DeSantis said. "They assured me that as soon as they have the vaccine in hand, they are ready to deploy to Florida's over 4,000 long-term care facilities to begin vaccinating the residents."
The governor said more than 3,000 long-term care facilities in Florida have already signed up to receive the vaccine.
"In Florida, we are going to set priorities focusing on specifically those most vulnerable, elderly residents in long-term care facilities, as well as our frontline health care workers who are interacting with vulnerable patients day in and day out," DeSantis said.
Health officials anticipate the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the general public sometime in the spring.