Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has made a monumental mess out of the Sunshine State’s response to COVID-19, and is even being accused of concealing information from residents regarding when they can expect to receive a vaccine for the deadly disease.
In response to DeSantis and his failure to inform the public regarding vaccines to combat the virus, the Tampa Bay Times published an editorial excoriating the governor and demanding that he do the job he was hired for.
The editorial carries the headline “Hey Gov. DeSantis, why so cagey with Covid vaccine details?” and mocks the governor for his response to calls for more information from his office:
“Your ‘no-plan is a good plan’ mantra isn’t playing well in some circles.”
“This isn’t spycraft. Giving Floridians a basic understanding of who comes next in the vaccination queue won’t somehow give the virus a leg up, like spilling the details of the D-Day invasion. This isn’t poker where deception is paramount. Show Floridians a few of your cards. They can handle it.”
Additionally, the editorial goes on to remind DeSantis that he selected “two wealthy and predominantly white Manatee County ZIP codes to distribute an ‘extra’ 3,000 vaccinations.”
“The main bottleneck has been the supply of vaccines, something largely outside of a governor’s control. All the more reason for you to dole out a few more details. Lately, you have indicated that teachers and law enforcement over the age of 50 could be next, but even then you couched it with ‘probably’ and ‘I think.’ On Thursday, you said the state will lower the age of eligibility for shots ‘sometime in March.’ You didn’t say what the new age might be — 60? 55? Again, we don’t need a 100-page treatise on where and how the state plans to distribute the vaccine over the next few months. But give us more than just dribs and drabs.”
What’s most needed, the editors concludes, is more communication from the governor and officials working for his administration:
“A little more communication will allay fears and quell anxiety by helping Floridians determine where they fall on the schedule. Most residents are willing to wait their turn. They understand there isn’t enough vaccine to go around yet, and they don’t blame you for that. But you can help them by being more forthcoming, by treating your plan as less of a secret. We’d like to know a few more details about the rest of us.”
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