Select Publix Stores To Distribute Coronavirus Vaccine: DeSantis

FLORIDA — Select Publix locations in Citrus, Hernando and Marion counties will offer the coronavirus vaccine to those 65 and older, Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a news conference at an Ocala Publix Tuesday afternoon.

Twenty-two Publix pharmacies in these counties have been chosen to distribute 15,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine. Starting Thursday, people can register for a vaccination appointment online through the Publix website. Doses will be administered starting Friday.

DeSantis called the state’s partnership with Publix “exciting,” noting that it will make receiving the vaccine more convenient for many seniors.

“What Publix is doing, it’s a little bit easier,” he said. “You don’t have to go to the hospital. You make that appointment. You come in right here, (see) friendly faces, people that you probably see every week when you’re coming in, and then be able to get the vaccination.”

The governor added, “Not everyone wants to drive across town to go to a hospital or drive across town to go to a drive-in test site.”

If this pilot program is successful in Citrus, Hernando and Marion, DeSantis is hopeful that Publix stores in other counties will also distribute the vaccine.

“I think that Publix really can provide us a great mechanism to make it convenient and easily available in almost every crevice of the state of Florida,” he said. “I don’t think you can go too many places in Florida and not see a Publix.”

The vaccine will be available at the following Publix locations starting Thursday:

Citrus County

• 6760 W. Gulf to Lake Highway, Crystal River
• 9525 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa
• 1012 W. Main Street, Inverness

Hernando County

• 19390 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville
• 2685 N. Forest Ridge Road, Hernando
• 160 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill
• 4365 Commercial Way, Spring Hill
• 14371 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill
• 4158 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill
• 9595 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee

Marion County

• 10135 SE US Hwy. 441, Belleview
• 11352 N. Williams Street, Suite 400, Dunnellon
• 3450 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
• 8075 SW Highway 200, Unit 111, Ocala
• 3035 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala
• 2765 NW 49th Ave., Suite 301, Ocala
• 2575 SW 42nd Street, Suite 100, Ocala
• 2647 NE 35th Street, Ocala
• 303 SE 17th Street, Ocala
• 7578 SE Maricamp Road, Suite 100, Ocala
• 5400 SW College Road, Suite 200, Ocala

The governor announced the Publix partnership on the same day another 15,193 new coronavirus cases were reported through the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. That brings the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 1,392,123. Florida remains one of only three states to have surpassed the 1 million case mark. The total number of deaths in the state also hit 22,515 Tuesday.

More than a week ago, Florida’s 67 counties began receiving varying amounts of vaccine doses to distribute to those 65 and older in their communities. There’s been some frustration as seniors across the state have had difficulty accessing the vaccine. They’ve faced long lines, jammed phonelines, crashed websites and other technical difficulties.

DeSantis got into a heated exchange with CNN reporter Rosa Flores during a Monday press conference when she tried to ask him, “What went wrong with the rollout of the vaccine?”

The governor interrupted her before she could even finish asking her question, saying, “There’s a lot of demand.”

He got angry when she asked if she could finish her question, resulting in a back-and-forth between them.

“So you gonna give a speech or you gonna ask a question?...You’re gonna ask how many questions? (Other reporters) only got one question. Why do you get three?” he asked her.

He bristled when Flores finally was able to complete her question, asking him why senior citizens waited in line for the vaccine overnight in some counties.

“Why did that happen? Did you investigate why? But you didn’t investigate. Why was there a big line?” he asked.

She reminded him that she was investigating by asking him these questions.

DeSantis touched upon the demand for the vaccine at Tuesday’s news conference in Ocala. The state doesn’t have enough doses to vaccinate the state’s 4.4 million residents who are 65 and older, he said, urging patience.

“We do not have 4.4 million vaccine doses sitting on the shelf right now,” he said, adding, “That means the demand is higher than the supply. So, we just ask people to be patient. You may get an appointment this week, but if you don’t, we want to get you in as soon as possible.”