‘It’s upsetting’: Why Wal-Mart stopped vaccinating high-risk residents in Florida

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Jimmy Suarez, a diabetic and kidney transplant survivor, felt liberated after a trip to Wal-Mart Tuesday when he got his COVID-19 vaccine.

“For the last year … I was terrified to go outside and die, and just being high risk,” he said.

Last week, Wal-Mart mistakenly opened appointments to people like Suarez who are under 65 with high-risk medical conditions. Later, the company said it would honor those who already got an appointment.

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Orange County Health Officer Dr. Raul Pino said because Wal-Mart’s vaccine is federal, it’s able to vaccinate people under 65 in other states, just not in Florida.

“What you have seen at the Orange County Convention Center (is) directly from the governor who had decided to change the priority order that was recommended by the CDC,” Pino said.

Channel 9 obtained a copy of Wal-Mart’s eligibility form.

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Outside of Florida, they are open to people over the age of 16 with high-risk medical conditions or essential workers including:

• Teachers
• Transportation
• Food service
• Construction
• Media
• Public safety

Suarez said people at risk of dying if they get COVID-19 will remember they could have gotten the shot in another state, but not in Florida, next time they vote.

“It’s upsetting,” he said. “First of all, we’re all Americans.”

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Suarez said he was a little nervous that he would be turned away at his appointment, but said the Wal-Mart staff were very kind and everything went smoothly.

Cox Media Group