Florida company accused of steering vaccines to rich donors
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida launched an investigation Wednesday into an upscale nursing home amid reports that it administered coronavirus vaccines to wealthy donors and members of a country club along with its residents and employees.
The Washington Post and New York Post both reported that MorseLife Health System, a nonprofit that operates a nursing home and assisted living facility in West Palm Beach, has given vaccinations to donors and members of the Palm Beach Country Club, whose foundation has donated at least $75,000 to MorseLife since 2015, tax records show.
The newspapers reported that the vaccinations were organized by MorseLife CEO Keith Myers and New Jersey-based developer David Mack, who is a member of various MorseLife boards and chairman of the country club foundation's board. The vaccines were distributed at the Joseph L. Morse Health Center, which is on David S. Mack Drive.
Meredith Beatrice, a spokeswoman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, said in an email to The Associated Press that the governor “has been extremely clear that vaccine should only be administered to Florida’s seniors 65 and older, frontline health care workers, and long-term care facility residents and staff.”
“We are investigating this situation and will hold any bad actors accountable,” she wrote.
George Shea, a spokesman for David Mack and his brother, Bill Mack, said in a statement Wednesday that the Macks were helping MorseLife in its efforts to distribute the vaccine and did nothing wrong. He said the vaccinations followed state protocols by limiting those given to non-employees to people who are 65 and older.
He denied that the distribution was targeted at Palm Beach Country Club members. Shea did not respond to reports that the Macks were among those getting...
