TORONTO -- Snowbirds who make the annual trip down to the U.S. in search of warmer weather could receive a COVID-19 vaccine well before their Canadian counterparts.
In Arizona, officials confirmed that snowbirds will be eligible to receive the vaccine as local residents of the same age and health category.
Florida has also offered equal vaccine access to the snowbirds, and judging by the states鈥 current rollout schedule -- that puts snowbirds months ahead of their Canadian counterparts.
Florida has already vaccinated more than 68,000 residents with their first shot of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great they鈥檙e taking care of the snowbirds who contribute so much to the economy over the years,鈥 Liona Boyd, herself a snowbird, told 麻豆影视 from Palm Beach, Fla.
If Canada continues to remain behind the U.S. in vaccine rollout, many might consider the 14-day quarantine upon their return worth it to get a vaccine.
Martin Firestone, a travel insurance agent in Toronto told 麻豆影视 that he鈥檚 started receiving calls from clients saying that they 鈥渦nderstand they can go down to Florida and get a vaccine鈥 and be 鈥渨ay ahead鈥 of where they鈥檇 be in Ontario.
It鈥檚 a prospect Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed in his news conference on Tuesday, saying 鈥渓et鈥檚 be clear: this is not the time for a vacation abroad.鈥
But the numbers of those seeking sunnier climates and perhaps an earlier shot at the vaccine have slowly ticked up over the months, despite an $850,000 federal ad campaign urging people to stay home.
