Brevard still medium-risk for COVID-19, but cases fall 44%
MELBOURNE — Though federal authorities say Brevard County remains, for the third week in a row, a community of medium COVID-19 transmission, local health department data Friday showed case numbers fell nearly in half over the past few weeks.
The Florida Department of Health reported 697 COVID cases between Sept. 2 and Sept. 8 in Brevard, with a new case positivity rate of 11.8%. Cases per 100,000 population were estimated at 111.3.
That's a drop of about 44% from the department's previous report from two weeks ago, which showed 1,251 new cases between Aug. 19 and Aug. 25. There was a positivity rate in that period of 18.1%, with cases per 100,000 estimated at 199.8.
Because not everyone with symptoms takes a test, and at-home tests go unreported, there could be more infections in the community.
The Space Coast is still a community of medium transmission, a status the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculates through hospitalizations and case rates. Between Sept. 1 and Sept. 7, there were 55 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Brevard, the CDC said.
There were fewer than 10 COVID-related deaths in Brevard from Sept. 2 to Sept. 8, though the CDC did not provide a specific number, as was the case the previous week. There have been 2,158 COVID-related deaths in the county since the start of the pandemic early in 2020.
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In communities of high transmission, the CDC advises that residents should wear masks indoors, get vaccinated and take a COVID test when feeling unwell.
On the Space Coast, 68% of people 6 months and older have been fully vaccinated, the state Health Department said. Of the eligible population in Florida, group vaccination rates, by age, across the state are:
Ages 6 months-4 years, 2.3% vaccinated.
Ages 5-11, 25% vaccinated.
Ages 12-19, 64% vaccinated.
Ages 20-29, 66% vaccinated.
Ages 30-39, 73% vaccinated.
Ages 40-49, 80% vaccinated.
Ages 50-59, 84% vaccinated.
Ages 60-64, 88% vaccinated.
Ages 65+, 94% vaccinated.
Nationwide, 71.7% of Americans ages 5 and older have been fully vaccinated, though only 48.6% in that age group have received their first booster. There have been 94,973,074 COVID-19 cases and 1,044,461 deaths nationwide since the start of the pandemic.
Where to get vaccinated
The Florida Department of Health is offering COVID vaccines at three sites.
Viera clinic, at 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way.
Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd.
Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave.
Residents in Brevard can also get vaccines at Omni Healthcare’s offices, as well as at its walk-in vaccination clinic located in Suite 303 on the third floor of 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. in Melbourne, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Vaccines are also available from 9 a.m. to noon in Suite 2C of Omni’s 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. complex.
Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: COVID cases fall on the Space Coast, though Brevard still medium-risk
