REPUBLICAN LED STATES HIGHER COVID AND DEATH RATES

States with Democratic governors had the highest incidence and death rates from Covid-19 in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, but states with Republican governors surpassed those rates as the crisis dragged on, a study released Tuesday found.

“From March to early June, Republican-led states had lower Covid-19 incidence rates compared with Democratic-led states. On June 3, the association reversed, and Republican-led states had higher incidence,” the study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Medical University of South Carolina showed.

“For death rates, Republican-led states had lower rates early in the pandemic, but higher rates from July 4 through mid-December,” the study found.

States with Republican governors had highest Covid incidence and death rates, study finds

FLORIDA has had mediocre rates recently and there are complaints that all of the vaccines are not being allocated by the state, or are being directed to friends of Governor DeSantis.

FLORIDA: Vaccine Administration–States Compared

WORST STATE: Georgia–15% one shot; 9.2% Full Shots; Doses Used 65%

BEST STATE: New Mexico–28% one shot; 16% Full Shorts; Doses Used 87%

California–20%; 16%; 87%

Florida–19%; 10%; 74%

Texas–18%; 9.3%; 74%

source: New York Times, March 13

FLORIDA: GOV. DeSANTIS @govrondesantis Distributes Vaccine as Political Favors

Democratic Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried fired off a written statement condemning the governor.

“There is no reason that Gov. DeSantis should be rationing vaccines based on political influence. This is troubling and potentially illegal. Vaccines should be distributed to counties based on need, capacity, and science,” Fried said.

“While I am disappointed in the governor using vaccines as a political tool, I plan on working with the Biden administration to ensure they do not penalize Floridians for his actions and continue to ramp up vaccine distribution to all communities, so that we can get our economy and state going again.”

Florida Democratic Party chair Manny Diaz also released a written statement.

“Gov. DeSantis must stop playing politics with the vaccine distribution here in Florida. Threatening retribution and less vaccine access for communities that criticize the vaccine rollout for its problems is shameful and inhumane,” Diaz said.

“Vaccine access is a life or death situation for so many Floridians, yet somehow Gov. DeSantis thinks it is okay to play favorites and punish anyone who criticizes him or his vaccine program. This must stop. Floridians need a leader with empathy, not a politician who chooses politics over lives.”

With the help of connections, several FL groups appear to get special treatment in securing vaccine doses | Florida Phoenix

FLORIDA RANKED #36 in PERCENT VACCINATIONS ADMINISTERED: Feb. 9

Florida

Doses distributed to state: 3,791,925

Doses administered: 2,607,527

Percentage of distributed vaccines that have been administered: 68.77

States ranked by percentage of COVID-19 vaccines administered: Feb. 9