State Update: States Appeal for More Coronavirus Vaccine Doses, Consumers may be Slow to Snap Back to Old Habits, Florida Issues new Rules to cut Down on 'Vaccine Tourism'
January 22, 2021
- State leaders are clamoring for more COVID-19 vaccine doses. Some state officials say they aren't seeing as many doses as the federal government reports distributing and the demand for the vaccine is outpacing the supply. Georgia, for example, reports adequate staff, volunteers and infrastructure but not enough doses.
- Americans and consumers across the globe will be slow to revert to pre-pandemic habits like flying internationally, commuting by public transit and eating at restaurants, even when COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, according to a new survey from Nielsen. Only 40% of U.S. respondents said they have confidence in using public transportation, even when they know they can receive a COVID vaccine. That sentiment could be a major challenge for retailers and restaurants that rely on commuters and heavier foot traffic in cities and commercial hubs.
- Florida issued new health guidelines in an attempt to cut down on "vaccine tourism," requiring that COVID-19 vaccines be given only to permanent and seasonal residents. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the shots should be reserved for part-time or full-time residents of the Sunshine State. "Now we do have part-time residents who are here all winter," he said. "What we don't want is tourists, foreigners. We want to put seniors first, but we obviously want to put people that live here first in line."
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