FL Gov. DeSantis Slammed: 'Pop Up Vaccine Clinic' Limit 2 Zip Codes- Wealthy Whites, So. of Tampa

[appalachiablue]

'DeSantis threatens to only vaccinate rich white Floridians while only vaccinating rich white …'
Daily Kos, Feb. 8, 2021.

Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis continues his inability to properly address the COVID-19 pandemic with his unveiling of a “pop-up” vaccine clinic. Since the start of the pandemic, DeSantis has followed Donald Trump’s actions in downplaying the virus and its severity. He refused to not only issue a statewide mask mandate but to close beaches and businesses despite a rise in cases. Now the governor has threatened to move a vaccine clinic set up in an affluent, majority white community after criticism from lawmakers that he was excluding some residents in the county and prioritizing the wealthy.

“If Manatee County doesn’t like us doing this, then we are totally fine with putting this in counties that want it,” DeSantis said at a news conference on Wednesday. “We’re totally happy to do that.”

DeSantis did not apologize for or acknowledge the disproportionate number of vaccine appointments the wealthy had access to. Instead he defended his decision, claiming that “it wasn't a choice about zip codes,” but where seniors were located. “If there’s going to be folks that are going to complain about getting more vaccines […] I mean, I wouldn’t be complaining,” he said. “I’d be thankful that we’re able to do it because, you know what, we didn’t need to do this at all.”

He also claimed that doses distributed at the location were in addition to doses already allocated to the county, but local Democrats didn’t buy it. DeSantis "must stop playing politics with the vaccine distribution here in Florida," Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz said in a statement. "Threatening retribution and less vaccine access for communities that criticize the vaccine rollout for its problems is shameful and inhumane.”

The vaccination spot was announced on Tuesday for 3,000 Manatee County Residents. According to The Washington Post, at least 180,000 residents in the county, which lies south of Tampa, have signed up for the vaccine but have been unable to access it due to limited supply.

Although the vaccine clinic was advertised as a county initiative, it was limited to people living in only two zip codes: 34202 and 34211. Local lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic Parties have criticized the move as these two zip codes represented the most affluent communities of the county. Additionally, the zip codes account for only 8% of Manatee County’s 30,557 confirmed coronavirus cases.

One of the communities that has access to the extra vaccines includes a planned community that is owned by the family of one of DeSantis’s campaign donors, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported...

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/2/18/2016792/-DeSantis-is-prioritizing-vaccinating-the-rich-and-white-threatens-those-who-question-him
___________________

- 'County officials blasted DeSantis over vaccine site in an affluent White area. So he threatened to take away the doses.' Washington Post, Feb. 18, 2021.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/02/18/florida-vaccine-desantis-covid-clinic/

[dem4decades]

1. And Florida will elect him again. Same with Rubio.

[appalachiablue]

2. Like Cruz in Tx. SAMO

[packman]

3. Same with Scott and Gaetz

Old Floridians afraid of change vote conservative even if it's against their best interests