[ad_1]
Florida Democratic Representative Stephanie Murphy urged President Biden to adjust nationwide vaccine distribution plan after finding “obvious flaws” that could prove detrimental to states with higher rates of elderly .
“We share the same goal, which is to manufacture and distribute enough doses of vaccine to immunize every American as quickly as possible,” Murphy said in a letter to the president Thursday.
But the Florida Democrat challenged the plan presented by the US Department of Health and Human Services to distribute vaccines to states based on the number of residents aged 18 and over.
FLORIDA GOV. DESANTIS CALLS THREATS OF BAN ON DOMESTIC TRAVEL “ UNCONSTITUTIONAL, UNCONDITIONAL AND UNJUST ”
“This single-factor formula has the advantage of simplicity, but it also has obvious flaws,” she said. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans aged 65 and over are responsible for 81% of all deaths from COVID-19 in the United States.”
Murphy pointed out that one in five Florida residents were at least 65 years old, which means nearly 21% of the state’s population is considered at high risk for the deadly coronavirus and should be prioritized.
The congressman called on the administration to consider states and territories like Maine and Puerto Rico, which share high populations of older people, when distributing vaccines, as the CDC recommended that people 75 years and over are given priority in vaccination.
The Florida Democrat noted that the crux of the matter is that, as the state tries to divert enough vaccines to teachers as schools reopen, with frontline workers it still bears the burden of one of the largest elderly populations in the country.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touted Florida’s response to vaccination of the elderly, telling reporters Thursday, “We are number one for vaccines for the elderly.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
“We are now reporting around 1.6 million older people who have received an injection, or about 35% of our gigantic older population,” he added.
Fox News was unable to immediately contact the White House to comment on Murphy’s request.
[ad_2]
Source link