ORLANDO, Fla. — Every single central Florida county saw an increase in vaccination rates last week with Orange County posting a 4% jump in percentage of the population vaccinated against COVID-19.
While hospitalizations continue to rise across the area, along Florida’s coastal communities the percent positive rate has started to finally decline after weeks of steadily increasing.
In Volusia, Flagler, and Brevard counties the percent positive rate has declined even as hospitalizations and vaccinations have increased.
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The data from the Florida Department of health suggests that the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is being disrupted by widespread vaccinations, although for doctors there is a concern that as schools begin to reopen infections may soar again due to Florida’s low level of vaccination among people under the age of 20.
Currently, only 41% of Floridians aged 12 to 19 are vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, a concerning statistic for doctors as schools begin to open.
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“The younger populations are largely unvaccinated compared to the older population,” said Dr. Bernard Ashby, a south Florida cardiologist, in a press call. “A lot of these patients come in a lot further in the disease course, and by the time they get to the hospital they have full-blown pneumonia, they’re hypoxic and many have to be incubated.”
Another concerning statistic is that many of the key indicators surrounding hospitalizations have remained steady week to week even as vaccination rates have increased, and percent positivity rates have decreased in places.
“COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida have doubled in the last two weeks, with younger healthier individuals getting COVID-19 and being hospitalized,” said Mary C. Mayhew, President and CEO, Florida Hospital Association.
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“Of the more than 10.5 million fully vaccinated Floridians, approximately 0.019% are currently in our hospitals being treated for COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination is clearly a lifesaver,” Mayhew said.
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