Visit Orlando said even with the pandemic that lost tens of thousands of tourism jobs in December, more than 35,000 people had jobs in hotels or timeshare countries in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties. Until now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had not identified a category for these workers in relation to their priority for the COVID-19 vaccine. “We’ve been classified as important companies all along, so it only makes sense that our employees should be important people,” said Chip Rogers. Rogers is the CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The organization sent a letter to the National Governor’s Association last week asking them to be in priority group 1B. The latest guidelines bring them to Group 1C, one group later with a variety of other companies. Florida has not yet reached most of the groups in 1B. “It’s not exactly where we wanted to be, but it’s better than where we were,” said Rogers. “We hope this means that employees can get vaccinated even faster, people can get back to hotels faster, and we can get this economy going again.” While the CDC can make recommendations on who should get the vaccine and when the decisions for Florida will ultimately be made at the state level, WESH 2 News asked Governor Ron DeSantis’ office when they think hotel workers should get their first dose. His spokesman said they still give priority to the elderly and that the medically vulnerable and extended to other groups depend on federal care.
ORLANDO, Fla. –
Visit Orlando said, despite the pandemic that triggered tens of thousands of tourism jobs, more than 35,000 people had jobs in hotels or timeshare countries in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties in December.
In many of these jobs, they face the guests or their rooms.
Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had not established a category for these workers regarding their priority for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We’ve been classified as important companies all along, so it only makes sense that our employees should be important people,” said Chip Rogers.
Rogers is the CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
The organization sent a letter to the National Governor’s Association last week asking to be in priority group 1B.
According to the latest guidelines, they belong to Group 1C, one group later to a variety of other companies. Florida has not yet reached most of the groups in 1B.
“It’s not exactly where we wanted to be, but it’s better than where we were,” said Rogers. “We hope this means that employees can get vaccinated even faster, people can get back to hotels faster, and we can get this economy going again.”
While the CDC can make recommendations on who should get the vaccine and when the decisions for Florida will ultimately be made at the state level.
WESH 2 News asked Governor Ron DeSantis’ office when they believe hotel workers should get their first dose.
His spokesman said they still give priority to the elderly and that the medically vulnerable and extended to other groups depend on federal care.
