DeSantis back in Tampa Bay area after COVID-19 vaccine remarks

On Wednesday, Ron DeSantis refuted claims he prioritized vaccine distribution to areas with wealthy GOP donors.

DeSantis announced the opening of a vaccination site at the Mainlands of Tamarac by the Gulf, a 65-and-older community in Pinellas Park.

DeSantis said, [relevant remarks begin around 3:30] "Well, if you go back to March, I was getting criticized for not closing the beaches, which you don't close beaches for a respiratory virus".

DeSantis said he believes "going to senior-dominated communities allows us to reach a critical mass quickly". He said the state is not diverting any doses from Publix, Walmart or the county-operated sites.

"DeSantis criticized for giving special vaccine access to wealthy neighborhoods like Lakewood Ranch", Tampa's WFLA said in its own February 17 headline.

The ordeal developed after DeSantis offer to help the developer of Lakewood Ranch set up a vaccination site to serve residents of two zip codes in southwest Florida's Manatee County. We did an order right at the beginning saying hospitals can not discharge COVID-positive nursing home residents back to nursing homes. "I'd be thankful that we're able to do it because, you know what, we didn't need to do this at all". "We're happy to do it".