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Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ administration has chosen not to pre-order thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses for children under 5 from the federal government even though vaccines may be approved by federal regulators and become available nationwide as early as next week.
Florida is the only U.S. state to skip ordering advance shots that medical experts say have more benefits than risks at preventing young children from contracting the deadly coronavirus.
Nearly 75,000 Floridians have died from COVID-19, while almost 6.3 million cases have been officially reported since the pandemic began in 2020.
News of Florida’s decision was first reported Wednesday by the McClatchy Washington Bureau. Citing two unnamed U.S. government sources, the news outlet said the state missed a Tuesday deadline to request the delivery of COVID-19 pediatric vaccines.
Previous coverage:Florida to be first state to recommend healthy kids not get COVID-19 vaccine, contradicting CDC
In case you missed it:Florida leads nation in new COVID deaths, CDC data shows
It was unclear Thursday morning whether the state’s action could delay access to the vaccines for parents wanting them once they are approved.
When asked by a USA TODAY Network-Florida reporter why the state didn’t order the vaccines for kids, the Florida Department of Health released an email statement that the agency “made it clear to the federal government that states do not need to be involved in the convoluted vaccine distribution process.”
The statement added that the federal government “has a track record of developing inconsistent and unsustainable COVID-19 policies.”
“It is also no surprise we chose not to participate in distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine when the [Health] Department does not recommend it for all children,” it said.
Can Florida doctors get the vaccine for young children?
The department said doctors can order vaccines on their own — and confirmed that “there are currently no orders in the [Health] Department’s ordering system for the COVID-19 vaccine for this age group.”
For the past two years, DeSantis has forged an alliance with those who don’t support any form of requirement to blunt the pandemic — signing laws that bar employers, schools and local governments from demanding masks and vaccines.
He’s blasted COVID-19 policies by other state and local governments, the Biden administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
No vaccine needed to compete:Special Olympics drops COVID-19 vaccine requirement after Florida threatens $27.5M in fines
Last week, DeSantis forced the Special Olympics International to drop its requirement that athletes competing in Orlando show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations after threatening to slap it with $27.5 million in fines for violating Florida’s anti-mandate law. The organization abandoned the requirement.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who was appointed by DeSantis and leads the state health department, has long opposed coronavirus vaccination requirements. On Tuesday, he said he does not support vaccinating young children, according to the News Service of Florida.
“From what I have seen, there is just insufficient data to inform benefits and risk in children,” he said.
“We expect to have good data that the benefits outweigh the risks of any therapies or treatments before we recommend those therapies or treatments to Floridians. That is not going to change. I don’t think that is particularly radical. I think it’s very sensible,” he said.
FDA approves of vaccines for small children
The Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisers on Wednesday gave a thumbs-up to vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for the littlest kids.
The outside experts voted unanimously that the benefits of the shots outweigh any risks for children under 5 — that’s roughly 18 million youngsters. They are the last age group in the U.S. without access to COVID-19 vaccines and many parents have been eager to protect their little children.
Positive review:FDA advisers to review, likely recommend COVID-19 vaccines for young children this week
“This is a long-awaited vaccine,” said FDA panel member Dr. Jay Portnoy. “There are so many parents who are absolutely desperate to get this vaccine, and I think we owe it to them to give them a choice to have the vaccine if they want to.”
Dr. Peter Marks, FDA’s vaccine chief, opened the meeting with data showing a “quite troubling surge’’ in young children’s hospitalizations during the omicron wave, and noted 442 children under 4 have died during the pandemic. That’s far fewer than adult deaths, but should not be dismissed in considering the need for vaccinating the youngest kids, he said.
“Each child that’s lost essentially fractures a family,’’ Marks said.
If the FDA agrees with its advisers and authorizes the shots, there’s one more step. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will decide on a formal recommendation after its own advisers vote on Saturday. If the CDC signs off, shots could be available as soon as Monday or Tuesday at doctor’s offices, hospitals and pharmacies.
Pfizer’s vaccine is for children 6 months through 4 years; Moderna’s vaccine is for 6 months through 5 years.
Contributing: USA Today Network-Florida Politics Editor Zac Anderson and The Associated Press
