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Florida expands vaccine eligibility to those 60 and up

By FOX 35 News Staff
Updated  March 16, 2021 5:30am EDT
Coronavirus
FOX 35 Orlando

People 60 and older can get COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday

Gov. DeSantis says he is lowering the age as more seniors are vaccinated and supply continues to increase.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida has expanded its eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine, allowing those 60 and older to receive one.

This change marks an expansion beyond the prior restriction, which limits the shots to people age 65 and over. Governor Ron DeSantis said that he is lowering the age now that millions have been vaccinated and more supplies are coming in.

To prove eligibility, you must have a Florida's driver license or ID card. If you do not have this, you must have two of the following documents (can only be two-months-old max):

  • Deed or monthly mortgage statement
  • Utility bill
  • Bank statements
  • Mail from a government agency

Governor DeSantis believes the process of vaccinating those between 60 and 64 may go quicker than expected because of the increase in the weekly supply the state is receiving. He said that each 5-year age group adds nearly 2 million people eligible for the vaccine.

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Besides seniors, Florida's eligibility standards allow persons under 65 who are deemed medically vulnerable by a physician, K-12 school employees 50 and older, sworn law enforcement officers 50 and older, and firefighters 50 and older to be vaccinated too.

However, note that federal guidelines differ and will allow school employees of any age to be vaccinated at pharmacies like Publix, CVS, Walgreens, and more.

The Governor is expected to lower the age eligibility even more soon.

Seminole County: Vaccine eligibility expands but more vaccine is needed to keep up

Seminole County Emergency Management Director Alan Harris said if the state keeps expanding eligibility, more vaccine is needed.

The next eligibility group he said will occur is 55 and up. As far as timeline though, he said that "it's all dependent on how we are doing with getting the 60 to 64 (age group). But that will happen relatively soon."

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He also said that in April, the general population could be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine, stating that "we could be in a situation, go down to 60 on Monday, we get to 55 relatively soon, and then if the supply floodgates really open, we could be in a position sometime in April where it's just available and people can get it."

As of Saturday, 6,350,867 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been distributed in Florida. That covers 4,141,148 people, with 2,276,947 having already received a complete series.

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.