COVID cases in Brevard continue to decline as the vaccination rate falters
The Space Coast continues to see declining COVID-19 rates, according to a report released Friday by the Florida Department of Health.
From Feb. 11 to Feb. 17, Brevard County had 1,310 cases, a rate of 214.3 cases per year. 100,000 inhabitants. Last week, there were 2,884 cases or 471.9 cases per. 100,000 inhabitants.
The number of new cases in Brevard has dropped for five weeks in a row, after reaching a plateau of 11,559 a week from January 7 to January 13.
Why is FDOH data different from CDC data? How many people are actually vaccinated in Brevard County?
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The new case positivity rates followed the decline in cases. From Feb. 11 to Feb. 17, 8.7% of Brevard County residents who took a COVID-19 test tested positive, down from 16.5% a week ago.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys, this still makes Brevard County a high-transmission community.
A society with high transmission is one that has more than 100 new cases in one week per. 100,000 or a positivity rate of more than 10%. At present, cases in Brevard County were more than double the number per case. threshold rate of 100,000.
All 67 Florida counties exceed 100 new weekly cases per year. 100,000 inhabitants.
The number of residents who died from COVID-19 is also continuing to decline. According to preliminary CDC data, 12 residents of COVID-19 in Brevard died from February 5 to February 12, the latest available figures. A total of 1,828 people on the Space Coast have died from COVID-19 since January 2020.
Despite the relatively high volume of cases on the Space Coast, the vaccination rate was relatively unchangedwhere 70% of eligible residents – those aged 5 and older – have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
The number of people who received the first vaccination dose in Brevard in the past week was 358, which was the fifth weekly drop in a row.
Across the country, the vaccination rate remained at around 74% for the third week in a row.
According to the FDOH, of the eligible population in Florida, age group vaccination rates throughout the state are:
- Age 5-11, 22% vaccinated.
- Age 12-19, 60% vaccinated.
- Age 20-29, 62% vaccinated.
- Age 30-39, 71% vaccinated.
- Age 40-49, 78% vaccinated.
- Age 50-59, 83% vaccinated.
- Age 60-64, 89% vaccinated.
- Age 65+, 95% vaccinated.
Across Florida, there were 193.3 cases per year. 100,000 inhabitants, which means that there were 42,473 cases in total from 11 February to 17 February, and a positivity rate for new cases of 8.2%.
According to FDOH data, 42,473 Florida residents had new COVID-19 cases from February 11 to February 17. It increases the total number of cases to 5,775,171 Florida residents since the start of the pandemic. There have been 68,902 COVID-19-related deaths across the country.
Nationwide, based on CDC data, a total of 928,723 Americans have died from COVID-19, and 78,161,630 have been infected since the start of the pandemic. And 68.7% of the population has been fully vaccinated per. February 18th.
Where to be tested:
The following Brevard County Emergency Management Office-supported Web sites are available for COVID-19 testing.
- Florida Department of Health-Brevard, 2555 Judge Fran Jamison Way, Viera; 8.00 to 17.00 weekdays. This is a walk-up place. Pre-register at nomihealth.com.
- Parrish Medical Center, 951 N. Washington Ave., Titusville; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. This is a drive-thru site. No appointments are required.
- West Melbourne Community Park, 3000 Minton Road, West Melbourne (use the Fell Road entrance to the park); 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. This is a walk-up page, with pre-registration recommended, but walk-in is welcome. Pre-register at patientportalfl.com.
Tests are also available to established or new Omni Healthcare patients at their Brevard County offices. To make an appointment, patients can call their Omni doctor’s office.
Various other emergency centers, private medical offices and pharmacies also offer COVID-19 tests, and some retailers sell test kits for the home. In addition, the website www.211Brevard.org has a list of sites that offer testing. Some of these places require reservations, while others allow walk-ins.
Where to get vaccinated:
The Florida Department of Health offers COVID-19 vaccines at three sites.
- Melbourne Clinic, 601 E. University Blvd., 10am to 4pm weekdays. Those aged 5-11 can only be vaccinated from 13.30 to 16.00 on Friday.
- Titusville Clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those aged 5-11 can only be vaccinated from 13.30 to 16.00 on Friday.
- Viera Clinic, 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those aged 5-11 can only be vaccinated from 8 to 11:30 and 13 to 16 Monday to Friday.
Residents can also be vaccinated at Omni Healthcare’s offices, as well as at its walk-in vaccination clinic in Suite 303 on the third floor at 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. in Melbourne, from 9am to 4pm weekdays. Vaccinations are also available from 9 a.m. for dinner in Suite 2C at Omni’s 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. complex.
Walk-in is accepted. But appointments can be made by calling 321-802-5515 or by emailing the request and including a name and phone number to [email protected]
COVID-19 vaccines are also available at pharmacies in various local CVS, Publix, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Walmart, and Winn-Dixie stores, as well as some emergency centers and physician offices. Check each site for contract requirements and availability of vaccines.
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Monoclonal antibody treatments:
Depending on the weekly allotment that Omni Healthcare receives from the State of Florida, Omni Healthcare will continue to administer the sotrovimab monoclonal antibody therapy to patients.
Those interested in receiving the treatment can check if the supply is available that week on the website omnihealthcare.com and at covid19testbrevard.com. However, due to the nationwide shortage, eligibility is limited to patients who are unvaccinated and meet the CDC guidelines.
Treatment will be administered at Omni’s offices at 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. Suite 303, in Melbourne, from 9.00 to kl. 16.00 on weekdays; and at 845 Century Medical Drive, Suite B, in Titusville, from 6 p.m. 13:00 to 16:00 on weekdays.
Amira Sweilem is Data Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Sweelem at 386-406-5648 or [email protected].