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The music producer Emilio estefan was vaccinated on Wednesday in Miami, as part of the tens of thousands of people over 65 who began to be immunized against the coronavirus this week in Florida, the state with the highest proportion of retirees in the United States.
Since Monday, tens of thousands of Floridians have been flooding the phone lines of health centers that began vaccinating over 65 years, who represent about 20% (more than 4 million) of the population.
Some stand in lines for hours waiting for their turn, even at night, television images showed.
Hospital Jackson Health System, the oldest in Miami, announced that he hopes to vaccinate 10,000 of his patients over 65, in addition to those who face the highest risk if they contract the virus.
This mass vaccination program began with the inoculation of Estefan, 67, and Miami Dolphins legend Nat Moore, 69.
“I think there is a lot of misinformation”Estefan said at a news conference at Jackson Health, in defense of the vaccine.
“People need to know that we cannot take risks,” added the Cuban-American producer, an icon of the “magic city.”
North of Miami, in Fort Lauderdale, Broward Health hospital announced that it no longer has hours available until February.
Meanwhile, in the center of the state, Orange County – where Orlando is located – announced Tuesday in a statement that in the 24 hours since Monday, some 30,000 people had made appointments. With this, he added, the city reached the limit of its vaccination capacity until further notice.
Governor Ron DeSantis called for patience at a conference Wednesday in a retirement neighborhood.
“The supply of the covid vaccine is limited,” he said. “We don’t have enough vaccines available for the more than 4 million people over 65. We will get there.”
But, after almost a year of confinement, especially for the elderly and the most vulnerable, the wait is long.
“I can’t wait to see my grandchildren. I can’t wait to hug them. It’s been a long time, ”Candice Seltzer, a retiree who had just been vaccinated, told CNN.
More than 175,000 people have been vaccinated in Florida, according to the Department of Health.
Since the vaccine began to be distributed PfizerOn December 14, and a week after Moderna, the first to be inoculated were health workers and residents of nursing homes.
Last week, DeSantis extended the right to vaccination to everyone over 65 and to patients with critical conditions.
This Wednesday, Florida reached 1.3 million cases of coronavirus and a total of 21,546 deaths.
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