Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Education

Nikki Fried Urges Ron DeSantis to Let All Teachers, Child Care Workers, Farmers Get COVID-19 Vaccines

Share this Story via Text Message, Facebook, X, Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail

Fried also urged the governor to open vaccines to farmworkers, agricultural and food production workers, and other essential workers who face elevated risk of COVID-19 illness. The governor’s current executive order opens vaccines to teachers only over age 50.

Share this Story via Text Message, Facebook, X, Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail

On Wednesday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis urging him to follow President Joe Biden’s directive to make vaccines available to all teachers, school staff and child care workers, regardless of age.

Fried also urged the governor to open vaccines to farmworkers, agricultural and food production workers, and other essential workers who face elevated risk of COVID-19 illness. The governor’s current executive order opens vaccines to teachers only over age 50.

Fried’s call follows Biden’s announcement on Tuesday that his administration would urge vaccines for all teachers, school staff, and child care workers by the end of March, given a major increase in vaccine availability by May. Fried has requested since December that the next phase of vaccinations in Florida include farm workers and other agricultural employees and has encouraged farmworkers to get vaccinated through a public awareness campaign.

The letter is below.

Governor DeSantis,

Yesterday, President Biden issued a directive to states urging the COVID-19 vaccine be available to all educators, school staff, and child care workers by the end of this month. Now that the U.S. is on track to have vaccine supply enough for every American adult by the end of May, it’s all the more crucial that we move swiftly to offer vaccines to these essential employees.

While your Executive Order opening vaccine distribution to teachers over age 50 is a first step, it is not enough, and is now superseded in scope by the President’s directive. Studies have shown that one in four teachers and school staff face greater risk of serious COVID-19 illness, in part due to tight quarters in many school environments. Prioritizing those who work closest with our youngest Floridians is necessary to ensure schools can remain safely open and continue educating, feeding, and inspiring our children.

See also  Ron DeSantis Says Florida’s Unemployment Rate Has Been Lower Than the National Rate For 40 Consecutive Months

Furthermore, it is past time for some of Florida’s most essential workers to now have vaccine access, including farmworkers and those in the agricultural and food production industries, as I have requested since December. These frontline workers are critical to producing the safe, secure domestic food supply on which we rely. Yet according to studies, farmworkers face one of the highest increased risks of death from COVID-19, with Hispanic farmworkers facing a 59 percent higher risk.

Getting our economy back on track is dependent on our health – and that hinges on the ability of parents to get to work, which means ensuring their children have a safe school environment. It also depends on some of our most vulnerable workers staying healthy, productive, and supporting Florida’s key industries, from agriculture to small businesses. Working with the Biden Administration to accomplish these goals is a necessity.

Governor, it is imperative that Florida move now to open COVID-19 vaccinations to all teachers, school staff, and childcare workers – regardless of age – as well as critical infrastructure and essential workers including farmworkers. Our economy and our public health depend on this.

Together, we can keep our schools open and rebuild our economy by putting safety, health, and science first.

 

Author

  • Florida Daily

    Florida Daily offers news, insights and analysis as we cover the most important issues in the state, from education, to business and politics.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

<

Ed Dean: Publisher

 

Ed Dean is a leading radio and news media personality including hosting the #1 statewide radio talk show in Florida. Contact Ed.Dean@FloridaDaily.com

You May Also Like

Florida Politics

Share this Story via Text Message, Facebook, X, Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo MailEarlier today, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 621, which protects property...

Florida News

Share this Story via Text Message, Facebook, X, Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo MailThe Orlando Business Journal reported that Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts...

Florida Politics

Share this Story via Text Message, Facebook, X, Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo MailFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 3, a bill that prohibits children...

Florida Politics

Share this Story via Text Message, Facebook, X, Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo MailFlorida First Lady Casey DeSantis awarded five Suwannee, Madison, and Columbia County...

Follow us on Social Media