While COVID cases climb in Florida, health officials are finding new ways to offer vaccines against it.
"There’s no obstacle or cost barrier, no transportation barrier," said William Parker, owner and pharmacist at DeliveRxed Pharmacy.
DeliveRxed Pharmacy says it plans to bring COVID-19 vaccines directly to homes in Hillsborough and Pinellas County regardless of whether someone is already a patient or whether they’re homebound.
"I think we can definitely increase vaccinations rates especially for those who are on the fence or just didn’t have good access to it or were too scared to come out into public to get the vaccine," Parker said.
The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County says right now the vaccination rate is not high enough.
"We are doing everything possible to try to increase the amount of folks that are getting vaccinated," said Kevin Watler, public information officer for the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County. "So we’re really hoping people take this opportunity,"
State data shows for those 65 and older, the vaccination rate is at 84%. It drops with age, down to 33% for those 12 to 19.
"I can tell you in Florida, your chance of surviving if your vaccine is close to 100%," said Gov. Ron DeSantis. "So we worked very hard to get those vaccines into all our elderly communities and give it to other folks who who could use it. Obviously, when you talk about some of the younger folks, the uptake has been less."
DeSantis addressed the state's cases and vaccines directly.
"They have different reasons for why they don't take it," he said. "And I think that the more they're hectored by government officials, or some of these folks, that is not going to get them to."
Already, DeliveRxed Pharmacy says they’ve received a handful of calls. Of those owner William Parker took, he said most of them are younger people who who don’t want to get out into the public.
If all goes well, Parker says he’d be willing to expand.
