Snowbirds

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes it clear inits “Florida Interim COVID-19 Vaccination Plan” that you don’t have tobea full-time Floridian to get your inoculation: “The goal of the Florida COVID-19 Mass Vaccination plan is to immunize all Floridians and visitorswho choose to be vaccinated.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis also tried to reassure senior Floridians when he talked about vaccines lastweek.

“As the vaccine supply increases over the next few weeks, we want to start

getting it out to our elderly residents as well as those who may have significant co- morbidities, making them high-risk for complications fromCOVID-19,” he said.

Although the policies offer reassurance to snowbirds older than 65, others wonder when they can get in line. Thomas Gary Hartling, a Canadian who winters inFlorida, is56, sohe doesn’t fit in the senior category, but he does have rheumatoid arthritis, potentially puttinghimonthepre-existing condition list.

“I’ll definitely get the vaccine here because I don’t know when I can get it at home,” Hartling said.

Sometimenextyear, vaccination sites will beofferedin public places. State officials may use locations that have beenusedforCOVIDtesting, andpharmaciesarereadying toofferthem.

Once long-term care residents and health workers are taken care of, all seniors should be able to get vaccinated at clinics set up by CVS orWalgreens, said Dr. Michael Teng, associate professor of medicine at the University of South Florida in Tampa. As different types of vaccines come online, the options shouldgrow.

“Hopefullywe’llhavemore different types of vaccines to distribute in a few months, withmorelogisticalexpertise for storing the vaccine and also less specialized storage requirements,” Tengsaid.“It would be great if you could doawalk-upclinic, ormaybe convert parking lots or existing COVID testing sites into walk-inordrive-upclinicsfor vaccinations.”

Vaccines will be offered at no cost, but vaccination providers can charge an administration fee for giving the shot. The providers can get the fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s ProviderReliefFund.

Teng said he estimates each dose costs about $20or $30 to buy, but it will be up to those administering the vaccine to decide what they charge people.