Orange County will begin vaccinating residents 40 years old and up starting Monday.
Mayor Jerry Demings says the decision came after consulting with nearby Lake, Osceola and Seminole counties and representatives of the White House and the state.
Demings says a high percentage of seniors have already gotten the shot in the county as well as neighboring counties.
Plus he says the demand for the vaccine is waning at the Orange County Convention Center.
“We have additional capacity at our existing locations that each day we have available supply that is not getting in the arms of individuals.”
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Demings says expanding eligibility aligns with the Biden administration’s goal to get shots in the arms of all American adults starting May 1.
He says he doesn’t expect any pushback from the governor as the convention site is no longer being run by the state.
“Told you before, I don’t feel like I have to get permission to be the mayor of Orange County from Tallahassee. We’re going to make decisions in the best interests of our community here. Using our resources, but we do so in partnership with the state.”
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Appointments for next week will open on Monday. Clickhere to register at that time.
