Posted on 01/14/2021 5:27:20 AM PST by Theoria
The state allows vaccinating nonresidents, which rankles some; ‘it lowers the numbers of vaccines available to people here’
Visitors from Toronto to New York to Buenos Aires have long flocked to Florida for sun, surf and shopping. Now they are coming for the Covid-19 vaccine.
Some of the arrivals are Americans or foreigners who own second homes in the state and reside here part-time. Others are making short-term visits, seizing the opportunity provided by Florida’s decision to make the vaccine available to people age 65 and older, including nonresidents. The practice, which some are calling vaccine tourism, has drawn fire from some officials and residents.
Interest is up sharply from Canadians who are looking to travel to the U.S. for vaccinations, according to Momentum Jets, a private jet service provider in Toronto.
“We’re getting requests now from clients that are willing to fly into Florida, if they have an appointment, and then fly home again on the same day,” said Janelle Brind, a company vice president. Costs for a charter flight range from $25,000 to $80,000 for a same-day round trip, she said.
Martin Firestone, an insurance broker and president of Travel Secure Inc. in Toronto, said about 30% of his clientele of so-called snowbirds decided to travel to the southern U.S. in November despite the pandemic.
He believes all of those clients have either received their first vaccine dose or are in the process of getting an appointment. “And they’re telling all their friends,” he said.
For many in Latin America, Miami has long been their unofficial U.S. capital. Ana Rosenfeld, a 66-year-old lawyer in Buenos Aires, took advantage of a trip to visit her daughter and new grandson in Miami to get a vaccination.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
gtfo
I wonder how many of the complainants don’t mind or flat out support, illegal aliens invading and behaving like the parasites they are?
They aren’t the only state doing this. My parents live in a small Arkansas town and won’t have access to the vaccine in their town for a while yet. Come to find out, one can drive across the border to Oklahoma and get the vaccine there.
People are angry about this. My husband is a lung cancer patient and we have been calling the reservation number every day. It fills up in the first couple of minutes. We are permanent residents of Lee County but go to the back of the line to accommodate the thousand of snowbirds.
I guess they didn’t get the memo that all of us down here are facist rubes who can’t possibly do anything well
I wish they would all go home. Off season is so nice with out them. I am in Lee county as well. I will not be getting the vaccine anytime soon or ever.
I’m supposedly on the wait list here in St. Lucie Co. So far nothing...
The local hospitals and county official created this disastrous plan.
It needs to be stopped ,
I think they are getting it for free before locals,
UGH
If they are health care workers or of the appropriate age group, this is probably the right thing to do.
Have you tried Publix? They’re doing vaccines I think.
My husband still has really low blood counts from chemo last year and we can’t get him vaccinated because he’s too young. We have been FL residents for 30 years. We don’t want to cut in line, but it’s so unfair that others can take our state share
Hey, think of the imports as subjects of an extended safety trial for the vaccine.
Thanks. They started at Publix one county over. May try there.
We got an email from the treatment center saying they were trying to secure doses for their patients. Prayers and good luck to you.
That’s wonderful news! I hope you will get an appointment soon. We have stayed safe so far, and I have faith it won’t be long before we get vaccinated.
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