All adults 18 and over can now become officially vaccinated. In addition to this groundbreaking news for millions of Florida residents, the state has also granted eligibility for 16 and 17 year-olds for the Pfizer vaccine with parental consent.
Just last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced new COVID guidelines for who’s eligible to receive the vaccine. Initially, the new guideline stated that residents aged 40 and older could be eligible to receive dosage. Eighteen and over became eligible Monday.
You are eligible to get vaccinated, so now what? In order to kickstart the process, residents should pre-register and reserve a spot in line. Once they are registered, they will be contacted when the vaccine is available in their area. Many senior citizens in Florida have rapidly been getting vaccinated so it’s only a matter of time until young adults are contributing to the already staggering numbers of vaccine distributions.
“Florida’s Seniors First vaccine strategy is paying off — more than 3.2 million seniors age 65 and older have received shots,” said DeSantis.
For younger Floridians who waited their turn, the shots came as a relief. Those who got a shot often urged others to join them.
“They’re going out and they’re not being safe because they think they’re not going to get sick and it’s not going to directly affect them, even if it affects other people that they come in contact with,” said Julia Mondares, a vaccinated USF student. “So if they get vaccinated, then they’re like, protecting the rest of the population.”
New guidelines say travel can be done safely for those who are vaccinated
There’s hope for normalcy again as new CDC guidelines say that fully vaccinated people can now travel at low risk to themselves as well as others. An individual is considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after their last recommended dose of the vaccine. With great power comes responsibility, as vaccinated people are still strongly encouraged to take precautious measures such as wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing and hand washing. Another perk of being fully vaccinated is you don’t have to provide a negative COVID-19 test while traveling within the U.S or having to quarantine.
These new guidelines are constantly being tested as we push towards a world similar to pre-COVID in terms of openness.
“With millions of Americans getting vaccinated everyday, it is important to update the public on the latest science about what fully vaccinated people can do safely, now including guidance on safe travel,” says CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
Increased internet access via libraries to help millions
According to an FCC report, 14 million people don’t have internet access in the U.S. Considering the importance of internet in our society in many facets, it begs the question of just how many people are getting left behind in our fast-paced society.
Hillsborough County Libraries has decided to take matters into their own hands by working to provide free wifi hotspots to those in need of internet access. Nearly two dozen libraries in Hillsborough County have teamed up to provide Park and Surf Wifi, which is a service that allows people to park close to the library building and connect to the wifi without a password or having to go inside the library to gain access.
Many of the residents who can’t access the internet live in rural communities. Majorities of these libraries in Hillsborough County that offer these services are directly catering to people that live in these areas. Having internet access provides so many opportunities such as applying for a job, student benefits, food stamps and even social security number information are easier to access with the use of the internet. Not just rural communities are grossly affected by the lack of internet access, as the report also shows that low-income families and people of color are among the groups that are mostly subject to the lack of access.
A group of mothers fight to repeal criminalization of cannabis in Florida
In 2017, half of Floridians arrested for misdemeanor drug possession were black, despite only accounting for 17 percent of state’s population. The Women’s Initiative for a Safe and Equitable Florida, or WISE, is attempting to change that.
Similar to those who fought alcohol prohibition a century ago, WISE recognizes the unjust criminalization of cannabis users and is determined to work toward sensible policy reform.
Next year’s ballot includes five proposed constitutional amendments, such as criminal records relating to certain cannabis offenses being erased. Those charged with a misdemeanor would be able to apply for a certificate of eligibility for expunction, then be granted a petition hearing. This would help many whose job prospects and finances have been negatively impacted by their criminal record.
‘African Americans get arrested at four times the rate as their white counterparts and someone that has an arrest on their record its really sometimes hard for them to be a contributing member of society,” says Sally Peebles, an attorney specializing in cannabis law and one of the founding members of WISE.
A survey conducted by Florida for Care reported that nearly 60 percent of Floridians support the legalization of recreational marijuana, and many oppose THC limits. Many bills regarding cannabis have been proposed to state legislature and passing a state constitutional amendment could help make policies a lot less severe, though possession would remain illegal on a federal level.
“You can be a concerned mother and you can support the legalization of marijuana. If fact if you are a concerned mother, that is what you have to get behind,” says Peebles.
Web editor Gabriella Martin contributed to this report.
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Anchors: Demi Asensio, Leo Santos
Producer: Niamh Larkin
Reporters: Carla Ibanez, James Birmingham
Writers: Emma Oliver, Julio Martinez
Graphics editors: Trevor Wymer, Zheming Zhang, Zack Brown, Niamh Larkin
Video Editors: Emma Oliver, Julio Martinez
Show Editors: Niamh Larkin, Ta’Bria Snowden
Videographer: Alice Barlow, Lauren Siegal, Dylan Zuccarello
Associate Producers: Emma Oliver, Gabe Castro
Web Editor: Jaleel Myers
Executive Producer: Demi Asensio
Graduate Assistant: Emmanuel Maduneme
Faculty Adviser: Jeanette Abrahamsen, Wayne Garcia
