DeSantis Hit For Vax Sites In “Wealthy White” Locations

February 17, 2021 Coronavirus, Republicans

Tampa’s Fox News affiliate reports:

After some Manatee County commissioners criticized the decision-making behind the state’s vaccine pop-up site in “whitest and richest” Lakewood Ranch, Gov. Ron DeSantis had one simple message: If you don’t want it, it will be given to another county.

The controversy started when Lakewood Ranch developer Rex Jenson received a call last week from the governor asking to identify two communities to get 3,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine for a state clinic.

In turn, Jenson contacted county commission chair Vanessa Baugh, who helped choose ZIP codes 34211 and 34202, which are just east of I-75 and straddle Myakka City Road. It’s also where her district is.

The Orlando Sentinel reports:



DeSantis became defensive when asked about choosing Lakewood Ranch, which will run through the 3,000 initial doses in three days. It’s at least the 15th pop-up site the state has chosen to create around the state since December.

“There was no choice to pick certain ZIP Codes,” DeSantis said. “It was we wanted to find communities that had high levels of seniors living in there. And this obviously has a high concentration.”

The Manatee County Department of Health stated last week that there were more than 150,000 seniors registered in its standby pool database awaiting notification for when vaccines would be available. It gets about 6,000 shots each week from the state.

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