Florida to begin requiring proof of residency for COVID-19 vaccinations

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is cracking down on what is known as “vaccine tourism.”

Florida will soon require proof of residency for people receiving COVID-19 vaccines, Governor Ron DeSantis announced this week.

Starting Wednesday, people who show up for vaccines in Seminole County, Fla., Will be asked to show their Florida ID card or utility bill in order to get the shot, according to the affiliate of. ABC News Orlando WFTV. The new policy, which applies to state-run vaccination sites, will later be extended to other counties in the state.

“We only do [vaccines] for residents of Florida and Florida, “DeSantis said at a press conference Tuesday.”

The changes follow concerns about “vaccine tourism,” following an executive order issued by DeSantis that opened vaccinations to anyone aged 65 and over but did not require proof of residency.

The opening of vaccinations has resulted in long queues, with some elderly people even camping overnight in lawn chairs in the hope of being vaccinated.

Florida has reported 1.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 24,578 deaths from the virus, according to the state health department.

As of Wednesday, Florida had distributed 2.5 million vaccines and administered about 1.2 million, which translates to 5,773 vaccines administered per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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