Half of Cobb fully vaccinated, booster dose available for immunocompromised

Aug. 24—As the delta variant continues to cause a skyrocket in COVID-19 infections, about half of Cobb County residents are fully vaccinated. Cases in the county have been rising since early July, according to Georgia Department of Public Health data. Cobb is averaging 321 cases per day as of Tuesday. The case surge has eclipsed the one that occurred in summer 2020 but is not yet as bad as the one in January, when cases topped 500 per day.

Deaths have increased from an average of less than one per day before the surge to an average of 2.3 per day as of Tuesday. Deaths averaged higher than five per day in January.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration this week. Vaccines made by Moderna and Johnson and Johnson are still approved under emergency use.

Where do we stand on vaccines?

About half of Cobb residents are fully vaccinated, per the Georgia DPH. About 56% are partially or fully vaccinated, a group which includes those who have had one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Just 40.4% of Georgians are fully vaccinated, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, the figure is 51.5%.

Nearly 60% of Cobb women are vaccinated, higher than the approximately 54% rate for men, according to DPH data.

Practically the entire 65 and older population of Cobb have had at least one dose, the Georgia DPH reports. That number drops off as the age range gets lower — about 80% for 55-64, 67.5% for 45-54 and 63% for 35-44. Teenagers aged 15-19 are more vaccinated (54.3% with at least one dose) than those aged 20-24 (50.1%) and 25-34 (53.3%).

Black Cobb Countians have the lowest vaccination rate among the five racial groups the department lists, at 43.6% with at least one dose, per DPH data. For white residents, that number is 52.1%, for Asian residents, 70.5%, for American Indian/Alaska Native, 89.8%, for "Other," 98.6%.

Looking at ethnicity, Hispanic residents have a vaccination rate of 38.2%, while non-Hispanic residents are 51.6%.

Where can I get vaccinated?

To find vaccination sites, visit vaccines.gov and enter your ZIP code. Vaccines are available at retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, Publix and Costco, as well as small pharmacies and public health facilities. COVID-19 vaccines are free.

Can I get a booster dose?

People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are now eligible to get a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The CDC recommends people wait at least 28 days after getting their second dose before getting a third dose.

The CDC recommends a third dose for people who have:

— Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood

— Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

— Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

— Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

— Advanced or untreated HIV infection

— Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Eligible patients must either provide documentation from a doctor or self-attest to having one of those conditions, per Cobb-Douglas Public Health.

Third doses are available at:

— Marietta Public Health Center at 1650 County Services Parkway

— Smyrna Public Health Center at 3001 South Cobb Drive

— Acworth-Kennesaw Public Health Center at 3810 Old 41 Highway NW

All three locations are open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ups are welcome, or appointments can be scheduled on the Cobb-Douglas Public Health website.

Here's a look at Cobb County and state coronavirus numbers reported Tuesday, and how they compare to the day before. All information comes from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

A Cobb-Douglas Public Health report, including data on how the coronavirus is affecting different ZIP codes, genders and ages, is available at reports.mysidewalk.com/17554e75c1#c-452027.

For the Georgia DPH's full report, visit dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.

National data can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at cdc.gov.