CVS offers virus vaccines to teachers under 50 in Florida

MIAMI – The CVS Pharmacy chain is vaccinating teachers under 50 in Florida and bypassing state orders that continue to limit coronavirus vaccinations to those over that age.

The chain also began vaccinating daycare and kindergarten teachers on Wednesday, although Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet opened the vaccination program for them. CVS provides vaccinations in two dozen cities in the state.

CVS said it follows the guidelines of the Biden administration released this week that are broader for educators than Florida’s. For teachers, Florida limits the vaccine to teachers 50 and older who work in kindergarten through 12th grade. Under federal guidelines, daycares, preschool teachers, and primary, middle, and high school educators can be vaccinated with no age limit.

LINK: Where the COVID-19 vaccine is now available at CVS Pharmacy

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“We have aligned ourselves with updated Federal Retail Pharmacy Program guidelines by making appointments available to pre-K through 12 educators and staff and child caregivers in all 17 states where we currently offer COVID-19 vaccines,” it said in Rhode Island-based company in a statement.

The chain partnered with DeSantis to increase the availability of vaccines. Executives held a press conference with the governor last week when the chain announced that its Latino-focused subsidiaries in Miami-Dade County, Navarro Discount Pharmacies and CVS y Mas, would offer the vaccine.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program will prioritize all school and childcare workers this month, following President Joe Biden’s guideline on Tuesday. Other pharmacy chains participating in the Florida program include Publix, Walmart, and Walgreens, but it was not clear whether they would also vaccinate younger educators.

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The governor’s press office declined to comment on CVS’s decision.

The Florida Education Association, the national teachers’ union, said it is still trying to confirm that younger teachers are getting shots.

Tracey Burger, a 49-year-old high school English teacher in Miami, said on Wednesday that she was disappointed when DeSantis announced last week that she would not make it. Burger has barely left her home since the schools closed a year ago when the pandemic started.

Then a colleague warned her early Wednesday that after Biden’s announcement, the CVS Health website was letting younger teachers make appointments. She has an appointment for Saturday.

“I started crying with relief that I am moving towards 95% prevention,” she said. “I will still wear my mask and keep my distance socially, but I might consider going to an open air restaurant or show now.”

Jennifer Milian, 41, an elementary school art teacher in Miami, said a colleague texted her early Wednesday to let her know that CVS was making appointments for teachers of all ages.

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“I almost didn’t believe it was true,” said Milian, who immediately called her husband, also a teacher, and asked him to look into it. He soon sent computer screen images with the confirmations for the Thursday appointments.

“I had been looking for a while to see when it would be our turn,” she said. “It turns out it was magical today.”

Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale.