Change appears on the horizon.
The state issued new health guidelines Jan. 21 requiring COVID-19 vaccines only be given to people who could prove they are full-time or seasonal residents of Florida.
State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees signed an advisory prioritizing Florida residents for the vaccine, following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order stating the shots should be reserved for part- or full-time state residents.
“We’re only doing (shots) for Florida residents,” DeSantis said Jan. 19, according to a CNN report. “You’ve got to live here either full-time or at least part-time.”
Before the shift, there were no residency requirements in Manatee County.
As doses of the Moderna vaccine were administered in early January, DeSantis told Floridians that people from other states — and Canadian provinces — would be given the same consideration as full-time residents.
The only stipulation was they be more than 65 years old.
Manatee County Commissioners Carol Whitmore and Kevin Van Ostenbridge said they support the recent updates.
“I’m glad that our governor recognized Florida residents and that people made their voices heard to direct that change,” Whitmore told The Islander Jan. 22.
Van Ostenbridge said Jan. 22, “I wish that the state would narrow the scope of those being provided with the vaccine to include people with immunodeficiency illnesses.”
As of Jan. 22, the state had vaccinated 139,345 people with both doses of the vaccine, up by more than 100,000 doses the week prior.
Two doses — about 28 days apart — are required for the vaccine to be effective, according to the Department of Health-Manatee County.
As of Jan. 19, the state vaccinated more than 39,000 people who reside out-of-state, including more than 1,000 who had received the recommended two doses, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Within the county, 1,142 people received both vaccine doses as of Jan. 22.
“Demand for the COVID-19 vaccine is far in excess of the supply the state has received so far,” the DOH site stated Jan. 22. “It is anticipated that additional supplies will be coming soon.”
Vaccination location sites, including required information to join the vaccination pool, are listed at floridahealthcovid19.gov.
Tracking cases
Jan. 16-22, 1,068 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in the county.
As of Jan. 22, 154 people in Holmes Beach, 68 people in Bradenton Beach and 44 people in Anna Maria had tested positive for COVID-19 since March 2020 — an increase of 16 cases compared to the week prior.
According to metrics provided by the DOH as of Jan. 22, 26,990 people tested positive for the virus in Manatee County since March 1, 2020, with 1,210 hospitalizations and 484 fatalities — an increase of 30 deaths in one week.
Of those testing positive, 487 were nonresidents, compared with 463 the week prior.
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, three basic ways to slow the spread of the virus include:
- Stay at least 6 feet — about two arm lengths — from those who don’t live with you;
- Avoid crowds. The more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed to COVID-19;
- Wear a mask to protect yourself and others.
Anna Maria and Holmes Beach mandate that people more than 6-years-old wear face coverings when they cannot maintain a distance of 6 feet from a person with which they do not reside.
Bradenton Beach does not have a mask mandate and instead encourages people to wear masks in businesses that request them.
The state does not have a mask mandate and prohibits local governments from fining people who fail to follow municipal mandates.
At the federal level, several mandates on masks — and other pandemic issues — went into effect Jan. 20-22.