MIAMI – Florida is the only state in the country without plans to preorder COVID vaccines for children as young as 6 months old, following the FDA’s decision to approve both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines.
“The risk out weight the benefits and we recommend against [it].” Said Desantis.
Governor Ron Desantis said the state will not create a statewide program to distribute and administer the vaccines to its youngest residents.
“That’s not the same as banning it, I mean people can order it if they want to,” said Desantis.
Instead, the state is leaving it up to health care providers to order the vials on their own.
Friday the FDA approved an emergency use authorization request for both Pfizer and Moderna’s covid vaccines for children who are 6 months old to toddlers.
The CDC must first give the go-ahead before any state will be able to administer the vaccines to children under the age of 5 which can happen in a matter of days. Federal officials have said the vaccines may be available as early as Tuesday.
CBS4 News reached out to Joe DiMaggio and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to find out how they plan to handle ordering the vaccines, but they did not respond to our requests for comment.