Florida opens the door for more teachers and school staff to get COVID-19 vaccine

All teachers and school staff, as well as daycare and preschool workers, can now get the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida at pharmacies and federal-run sites such as the newly opened vaccine center at Miami Dade College North.

But state officials said Thursday they are still figuring out how to implement the Biden administration’s federal mandate — which calls for vaccinating all personnel who work at pre-kindergarten to K-12 schools nationwide — with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ more restrictive order, which limits the vaccines to K-12 school personnel 50 and older and excludes preschool and daycare employees.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management, which is tasked with the state’s vaccine distribution, told the Miami Herald in an email late Thursday it is reviewing what to do at state sites such as Hard Rock Stadium and Marlins Park. The federal mandate directs states to vaccinate all pre-K-12 teachers, staff and child-care workers, with the goal of having them receive at least one shot by the end of March.

In a press conference Thursday in Crystal River on the state’s west coast, DeSantis said all Florida school personnel who work in pre-K through 12th grade, plus child-care workers, would qualify for vaccines at pharmacies and federally run sites like the Miami Dade College North site, as per the Biden administration directive. The pharmacies are following federal guidelines.

But local and state officials told the Miami Herald on Thursday that the federal mandate will not apply to state-run sites in Miami-Dade or Broward counties, including Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Marlins Park in Miami, Snyder Park in Fort Lauderdale and Tree Tops Park in Davie. The federal mandate will also not apply at county-run sites Zoo Miami and Tropical Park.

Miami-Dade County spokeswoman Rachel Johnson, Florida Department of Health in Broward County spokesman Todd Templin, and the chairman of the Florida Association of Public Information Officers Mike Jachles gave the same reason:

The sites follow DeSantis’ executive order on teachers, which went into effect on Wednesday. This means the sites can only offer appointments to K-12 school employees who are at least 50, as per that order, unless DeSantis issues a new order expanding the criteria.

None of the South Florida school districts are requiring employees to get the vaccine, though they are encouraging it.

On Wednesday, CVS Health brushed aside DeSantis’ executive order regarding school employees. CVS said it was complying with the federal directive over DeSantis’ more restrictive order. CVS Health owns Navarro Discount Pharmacies, CVS y mas and traditional CVS stores.

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Where can teachers, staff and child-care workers get the vaccine?

All Navarro and CVS y mas stores in Miami-Dade are offering vaccines. Some traditional CVS stores across the state, including in South Florida, also offer vaccines. To book a slot, visit CVS.com or call customer service at 800-746-7287.

News of CVS vaccinating teachers regardless of age or medical condition spread on educator social media circles. PE teacher Alexander Donis, 38, saw a post in a teacher Facebook group and immediately made an appointment for Saturday. He also shared the registration link with his teacher group chat.

“I don’t like needles,” he joked. “I’m excited. ... My wife and I have a newborn. We want to kind of be able to keep the household safe.

“I’m doing it more for my wife’s peace of mind and my family,” said Donis, who teaches at Henry S. Mack/West Little River K-8 and Biscayne Elementary.

On Thursday, Walmart expanded its vaccine criteria to match the federal order. It’s now offering vaccines at stores across the state, including in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, to all educators (teachers, staff and bus drivers) who work in pre-K-12 schools, Head Start and Early Head Start programs. It’s also offering vaccines to staff of licensed child-care centers.

School and child-care personnel will also be eligible to book a vaccine appointment Friday at Publix stores across the state, including in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.

Both Walmart and Publix will require proof of Florida residency, like a driver’s license, on the day of your appointment. Walmart is also requiring proof of employment, like a school-issued ID or pay stub, to be presented at your appointment.

Publix said Thursday that DeSantis’ executive order does not require proof of employment. It did not respond to a Miami Herald query asking if that meant it would not require proof of employment.

To check for slots in Walmart, visit walmart.com/COVIDvaccine. For Publix, visit publix.com/covid-vaccine/florida.

Other pharmacies including Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más, Walgreens and Sam’s Club are expected to also begin offering vaccinations to teachers and school staff. That’s because they are part of the federal retail pharmacy program, which is advocating that all personnel in pre-K-12 schools — regardless of age or medical condition — be vaccinated.

The four federally supported vaccination sites that opened in Florida Wednesday, including one at Miami Dade College’s north campus and another at the Tampa Greyhound Track, are also offering vaccinations to all teachers and school staff, 18 and up. Appointments are not required, but are recommended.

Because of this, MDC North will have a busy weekend and will see a large number of educators who want the vaccine, predicts Jachles, the chairman of the Florida Association of Public Information Officers. His association assists the Florida Division of Emergency Management with state-run sites like Hard Rock Stadium and federally supported sites like MDC North.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools on Wednesday announced a limited number of vaccination appointments for school employees at three sites Saturday and Sunday through its partnership with Jackson Health System.

School district spokeswoman Jackie Calzadilla said Thursday that all 1,000 slots spread among the two days allotted for the district’s teachers and school staff ages 50-64, inclusive of anyone in contact with students, were already booked.

College and university professors in Florida are still excluded unless they meet one of Florida’s other vaccination criteria. This includes being 65 and older, a healthcare worker with direct patient contact, or being deemed by a physician to have a high risk medical condition that makes them “extremely vulnerable” to COVID-19.

The union representing about 22,000 educators who work at the state’s colleges and universities said Thursday that DeSantis needs to expand the vaccines to them.

“This is NOT acceptable,” Karen Morian, the president of the United Faculty of Florida, which represents about 22,000 educators in the state, said in a statement. “Now that the governor has admitted the scientific value of vaccinations and publicly voiced support for vaccines, we call on him to recognize that education in Florida continues beyond K-12 and to include ALL educators in Florida’s vaccination programs.”