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DeSantis reverses course, allows state healthcare providers to order COVID vaccines for kids

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attends a media event regarding the 2022 Florida Python Challenge, Thursday, June 16, 2022, in the Everglades west of Miami. Florida was the only state that didn’t preorder COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of six months and five years.
Lynne Sladky
/
Associated Press
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attends a media event regarding the 2022 Florida Python Challenge, Thursday, June 16, 2022, in the Everglades west of Miami. Florida was the only state that didn’t preorder COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of six months and five years.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now allowing healthcare providers, including pediatricians and children’s hospitals, to order COVID-19 vaccines from a federal program for children between six months and 5 years old, a reversal from earlier this week, White House officials told McClatchy.

The decision will expand access to pediatric coronavirus vaccines for parents across the state, which, under DeSantis’ previous position, would have been limited to seeking vaccines at a select number of community health centers and facilities participating in a federal retail pharmacy program.

State health facilities will still not be placing orders for vaccine doses, a Biden administration official said.

Read more from our news partner, the Miami Herald.

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