Charlotte County asks gov for more vaccines amid low vaccination rate

The community with Florida’s second-largest senior population per capita says it’s being left behind when it comes to vaccinations.

Charlotte County has just 8.6% of the community vaccinated. Lawmakers and the medical community have sent letters to Gov. Ron DeSantis asking for help, but there has been no action.

Some in the county believe vaccine distribution has become political.

Judi Taylor was lucky enough to grab a vaccine for herself last month, but she’s exhausted because she’s been trying to get an appointment for her husband – and she isn’t alone in her frustration.

“When you look at how many vaccines have been allocated for Charlotte County, it’s minimal,” she said.

Charlotte County has the second-oldest median age of residents in the state at around 59.

“We decided, the first state in the country to put seniors first, that has been our goal, that has been our policy,” the governor said during a recent visit to The Villages.

Taylor argues that policy doesn’t put Charlotte’s seniors first.

The Florida Department of Health says only 8.6% of Charlotte’s senior population is vaccinated.

Sumter County, Florida’s oldest (at around a median age of 67) and home of The Villages, has vaccinated more than 15%.

DeSantis sent The Villages 4,000 more doses this week and opened a second permanent vaccination site.

“We have a lot of seniors here, there’s a lot of demand,” he said.

“Everyone should get it, so I don’t begrudge them for getting it,” Taylor said.

Charlotte County says its daily vaccine supply went up by 50% this week to 450 daily doses. The health department can handle up to 1,000 a day, so it keeps requesting more.

“To Ron DeSantis and the state government and Charlotte County, they better get on it,” Taylor said. “Illness is at stake, death is at stake.”

WINK News reached out to DeSantis’ office for reaction, but no one got back to us.