Publix in Florida was firm on Tuesday about COVID vaccinations for children younger than five. They stated that the pharmacies they use would not provide the vaccines to these children despite Emergency Use Authorizations.
According to the Tampa Bay Times report, Hannah Herring, a spokesperson for the chain, stated that they would not offer COVID vaccinations to children under four years old. She also said that there was no plan to provide any explanation.
Good. #COVIDHearings https://t.co/1WZxD7hJTk
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) June 22, 2022
When the vaccines were first rolled out in late 2020 and early 2021, Publix partnered with the Florida state government to maximize the efficiency of the distribution efforts – and the chain still offers the COVID vaccine to customers aged five and above.
Publix follows the same position as Governor Ron DeSantis (R.FL) at the time that the EUAs to children younger than five years were introduced. While DeSantis did not — as some reported — bar private health care providers from ordering doses of the vaccine for younger children, he also did not authorize the state and local health departments to offer the vaccine to that age group.
Joseph Ladapo, a Florida surgeon general, criticized the White House for suggesting DeSantis barred private doctors from ordering dosages. “FL never ‘reversed course.’ We recommended against COVID-19 tax for healthy children in March b/c there was no strong evidence of benefit. This remains the same for healthy kids <5. Providers have always been able to order vaccines. This never changed.”
FL is never “reversed course.”COVID-19 Vax was not recommended for healthy children by us in March because of lack of strong evidence. This remains the same for healthy kids <5. The ability to order vaccines has been available for providers since the beginning. This has never been changed.
It was a great effort. @WhiteHouse.
— Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD (@FLSurgeonGen) June 17, 2022
DeSantis’ Press Secretary Christina Pushaw also pushed back on the prevailing narrative, noting that the only reason some providers might have had difficulties preordering the vaccines was the fact that they could not place orders prior to the Emergency Use Authorization being granted.
“No state policy change in Florida. The only thing that’s changed was the federal government (FDA) issued the EUA for the shots today. Obviously, there must be FDA approval or an EUA for the system to process orders from healthcare providers. Retract your lies,”Pushaw stated.
Florida has not changed its state policies. The only thing that’s changed was the federal government (FDA) issued the EUA for the shots today.
For orders to be processed by healthcare providers, the system must have FDA approval.
Retract your lies.
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) June 17, 2022
According to the most recent EUAs COVID vaccines now are available for children 6 months through five years old.
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