Publix Cancels COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling, But Not Because Of Boycott

Publix canceled its COVID-19 vaccination scheduling event set for Wednesday at its stores across Florida, but the company cited winter weather in other parts of the U.S. for delaying the event.

People with appointments to receive the vaccine at a Florida Publix store were not affected by the cancellation. Appointments can only be scheduled on the Publix website.

Publix said the severe winter conditions affecting much of the country "prevented government delivery of allotted COVID-19 vaccine."

The store chain will honor appointments scheduled for Thursday, as well.

The canceled event comes as the supermarket chain has been under fire, following revelations late last month that Julie Jenkins Fancelli, heiress to the Publix chain, donated $300,000 to former President Donald Trump's infamous Jan. 6 rally.

The event in Washington led to a violent attack by attendees on the Capitol. Fancelli was the top donor for the event. Conspiracy radio host Alex Jones also helped raise the $500,000 to hold the rally.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month Fancelli donated nearly $1 million to the Trump campaign and the Republican Party during the 2020 election cycle.

Those revelations triggered a public backlash linking the Publix brand to the violence at the Capitol. Publix, which donated money to Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis, was also criticized after it was declared the sole retail distributor for the COVID-19 vaccine in Palm Beach County for a test rollout.

There are 593 Publix locations included in the state's vaccination plan, but none located in Miami-Dade or Broward counties. Those two counties are the most populated in Florida.