By Katrina Elsken
Lake Okeechobee News
While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed back against the idea of vaccine mandates, the majority of Floridians have chosen to be vaccinated against COVID-19. As of the Dec. 3 report from the Florida Department of Health, 69% of Floridians over the age of 5 have been vaccinated.
Florida vaccination rates by age group are:
• 5-11: 9%;
• 12-19: 57%;
• 20-29: 58%;
• 30-39: 67%;
• 40-49: 75%;
• 50-59: 80%;
• 60-64: 87%;
• 65 and older: 89%.
Vaccination rates for those over the age of 5 in South Central Florida counties, as of Dec. 2, were:
• Collier County: 73%,
• Glades County: 50%,
• Hendry County: 55%,
• Highlands County: 60%,
• Martin County: 66%,
• Okeechobee County: 48%;
• Palm Beach County: 64%.
Statewide, new case positivity for the week of Nov. 25-Dec. 2, was 2.5%. Taylor County had the highest new case positivity at 6.6%. The lowest rate was in Gulf and DeSoto counties at 0.9%.
New case positivity rates in South Central Florida as of Dec. 2 were:
• Collier County: 2.9%.
• Glades County: no data available,
• Hendry County: 1.1%,
• Highlands County: 2.3%,
• Martin County: 2.6%,
• Okeechobee County: 1.7%,
• Palm Beach County: 2.3%.
According to the Dec. 2 White House report, all adults who completed a primary vaccination series with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines at least six months ago and those who received a Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago are eligible for a booster. The Biden Administration has made booster shots free and convenient at over 80,000 locations nationwide. To date, over 41 million Americans have already received a booster shot, including half of eligible seniors. Since booster shots became available, nearly 3 million Floridians have gotten booster shots.
According to the CDC, nationwide 75.2% of those over age 5 have been vaccinated with at least one dose.
Covid hospitalizations in South Central Florida have declined. New covid-related hospitalizations in the past seven days included:
• Collier County: 25;
• Glades County: 0;
• Hendry County: 0;
• Highlands County: 6;
• Martin County: 12;
• Okeechobee County: 0;
• Palm Beach County: 64.
Since the start of the pandemic, the virus has claimed the lives of 61,701 Floridians. Deaths by age were:
• Under 16: 31;
• 16-29: 431;
• 30-39: 1,137;
• 40-49: 2,747;
• 50-59: 6,252;
• 60-64: 5,077;
• 65 and older: 46,026.
At a Dec. 3 press conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said vaccinations, mask wearing, social distancing and increased testing will be effective in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
“We should remember that 99.9% of cases in the country right now are from delta,” she added.
