One of unions representing Walt Disney World's cast members is campaigning for the state of Florida to allow more Disney theme park employees to get Covid vaccinations.
Unite Here! Local 362 has been posting to social media photos and quotes from Disney cast members and contractors, appealing to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to approve theme park workers for vaccinations. Right now in Florida, vaccinations are supposed to be reserved for residents age 50 and older, health care workers with direct patient contact, long-term care facility residents and staff, and other persons determined to be "extremely vulnerable" according to their physician.
That leaves tens of thousands of theme park workers under the age of 50 to wait their turn. With Florida emphasizing age over industry in vaccinations, that could leave many theme park workers - who tend to skew younger - at the back of the line for Covid vaccinations, despite them being the literal faces of Florida's ultra-valuable tourism industry.
It's a contrast to the approach in California, where officials are looking more toward what people do to determine vaccine eligibility. In California, food service workers are now eligible to be vaccinated, along with teachers and health care workers, as well as anyone over age 65 or with designated health conditions. That's allowing thousands of Disneyland and other theme park employees to apply to get vaccinated in advance of theme parks reopening in the state next month. In addition, theme park attendance in California will be limited to California residents, theoretically also reducing exposure risk to workers in the industry.
Of course, being eligible for the vaccine and actually getting it are very different things. The United States has been administering about 2.5 million doses of Covid vaccines a day, but that's still not meeting the demand from everyone who wants one. While President Biden has said that all Americans should be eligible to be vaccinated by May 1, individual states have set up their own rules for who can sign up to get one now, as they look to keep vaccination sites from being overwhelmed.
Everyone deserves a Covid vaccine, so I don't want to hear that anyone doesn't - regardless of their age, occupation or health condition. But while supply is limited it makes sense to give priority to vaccinating those at greatest risk of dying or being disabled by the virus and then those with the greatest risk for becoming a vector in spreading the virus. With Orlando-area theme park workers encountering so many people from around the country every day they're on the job - including some who try to avoid the park's safety rules - that puts them in that second group.
Here's where I also would like to make a pitch for California to expand eligibility to theme park employees not in food service, too. Disneyland and Six Flags Magic Mountain have made their parking lots available to the state for testing and vaccination sites. I think it would be appropriate for the state to return the favor by dedicating some time for Disneyland and Six Flags employees to get their vaccinations there, regardless of their age, before those parks reopen to the public.
Hopefully, increased vaccine availability will make this a moot issue sooner rather than later. But Florida has benefitted for decades from its world-leading theme park industry. Florida needs to take care of its theme park employees in return.
* * *
We wanted you to read this article before we make our newsletter pitch, unlike so many other websites. If you appreciate that - and our approach to covering theme park news - please sign up for our free, twice-a-week email newsletter. Thank you.
The union should be ashamed of themselves for doing this kind of campaign when they know full well the only reason Disney hasn't gotten the shots is because the government doesn't have enough to allocate to them, meaning they would've been taking shots from seniors/people with pre-existing conditions. There's no way that would have worked. Disney lobbied like crazy to become a mass vaccination site and to get their employees shots and they know that, and they also know as soon as the shots become available they will be doing them at the Center for Living Well free for all Cast Members just like they do with the flu shots every year. They are trying to make their members think they are doing something productive.
Campaigning to skip the vaccination line is just low. I get that CMs feel that they are vulnerable, much more so than the typical 9-5 office employee working from home, but to say CMs are more worthy than other similarly vulnerable people that are still waiting for clearance is flat out wrong.
This entire prioritization process IMHO is a massive problem, and the steps some authorities are taking to bend over backwards to place certain groups ahead of others are frankly repugnant. FWIW, most jurisdictions where I live (DC Metro region) are either already opening availability to ALL adults or will be doing so within the next 2-3 weeks. Large groups, unions, and businesses trying to get special dispensation for their stakeholders just makes things take longer for everyone else, and should be reprimanded for lobbying to skip the line, and I felt that once medical workers and 60+ were vaccinated, there should have been no further vaccine prioritization - just first come, first served. Claiming a medical or working condition (other than in medicine) that necessitates early vaccination is a process wrought with fraud, and just creates more confusion and frustration from the GP.
They didn't need to bother... Looks like the vaccine will be available to everyone over 18 by the first week of April:
https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2021/03/25/florida-to-lower-coronavirus-vaccine-eligibility-to-40-then-to-18/
It’s not so much that people are more worthy than essential workers don’t have the option to avoid the public and essential services get disrupted from employees being out or workplace outbreaks.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
I can sympathize as UPS may be considered an essential business but I've been waiting weeks for any vaccine shot. Yet you'd think Disney would have tried to boost their workers first for both guest safety and the good publicity.