JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Walmart is working to expand COVID-19 vaccinations to pharmacies in Sarasota County, said Governor Ron DeSantis during a news conference Wednesday.
DeSantis announced this week that Walmarts across Florida will begin giving COVID-19 vaccines. The initial announcement did not include Sarasota area Walmarts.
In total, there will be 119 Walmart stores across 34 Florida counties that will be administering the vaccine.
"We don't want people to have to be isolated in their homes being scared, we want you to be able to have the confidence to go out, see your friends and family," said DeSantis.
Duval County will have the most Walmart vaccine locations in the entire state with 18 pharmacies participating. DeSantis said that these sites are a part of his larger priority to provide vaccination options for every Floridian.
"We have 105 community vaccination sites across the state of Florida, every single county in Florida has at least one site to be able to get vaccinated, and some counties have huge numbers when you count the retail sites," DeSantis said.
RELATED: Walmarts across Florida to begin giving COVID vaccines Friday, including 18 in Duval County
He also spoke briefly about the COVID-19 variant and his confidence that the latest vaccines will protect Floridians against the strain.
"..in terms of the UK variant, here's what we know, we know, based on all the evidence that these vaccines are going to be effective against that," he said. "And that's really the main concern, I mean we're getting our seniors vaccinated. We've not seen any data, or any evidence to suggest that these vaccines are not effective and so if we get the seniors vaccinated.