Florida positivity rate drops as state rolls out new COVID-19 vaccine system

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ORLANDO, Florida – The Florida Department of Health reported more than 12,000 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday as it tested its new telephone appointment system for a vaccine.

The FDOH has launched a pilot program of the system with the aim of supporting local counties with high demand for coronavirus vaccines. It’s a system Governor Ron DeSantis has been referring to in recent weeks, as he traversed the state expanding Pubix’s vaccination program, saying the hotline was part of the state’s strategy to put ” the elderly first ”.

According to the Broward Health Department tweet, people 65 and older, as well as frontline healthcare workers, can call (866) 201-6313 to request an appointment. People who are hard of hearing can call (833) 476-1526.

News 6 called the number to see how the hotline works.

The system offers instructions in English and Spanish. An automated voice asks the caller a series of questions to verify eligibility, asking callers if they are healthcare workers or 65 or older.

People are also asked to enter their date of birth, phone number and zip code so that the hotline can help connect the caller to a nearby vaccination site. If there is no vaccine availability, the automated voice says it will call the entered number when there are vaccines available in the caller’s area.

State officials said a phone system was more suitable for older people, who may be less used to web technology and may need more assistance.

As the hotline continues to officially roll out, Florida is working to ensure its vaccines are restricted to residents.

In a two-page notice signed by Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, the state health department noted that “the vaccine remains rare in the United States, and vaccine availability in Florida is extremely limited.”

As a result, Rivkees issued a public health advisory that orders “the prioritization of Floridians for the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida.”

This means that vaccine suppliers must confirm whether the recipient of the vaccine is a permanent or seasonal resident by providing a driver’s license or a host of other documents, including rental leases and utility bills, as indicated by the state health department.

To find out if you are eligible for a vaccine in Florida, click here.

[READ YESTERDAY’S REPORT: Virus death toll surpasses 25,000 amid Florida’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccine system]

Case

The Florida Department of Health reported 12,157 new cases on Saturday, bringing the state’s overall total to 1,639,914 cases since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Death

Florida reported On Saturday, 156 new deaths linked to the virus, bringing the death toll to 25,561. This number includes the 397 non-residents who died in Florida.

Hospitalizations

Saturday afternoon, there was currently 6,698 people with the virus have been hospitalized in Florida, according to the National Agency for Healthcare Administration.

As of March, 70,002 of people have been hospitalized in Florida after complications from COVID-19. This number includes the 267 new patients recently hospitalized with the virus, according to the health department’s daily report released on Friday.

Positivity rate

The percentage of positive results was 6.54% on Saturday, a significant drop from the day before.

Health officials say the rate should stay between 5% and 10% to prove that a community has a grip on the virus and is curbing infections.

Vaccinations

The Florida Department of Health recently began publishing a daily report on COVID-19 vaccines administered statewide.

As of Saturday, 1,389,149 people had been vaccinated in Florida. FDOH also reports that 139,345 people received their second injection.

The state originally said how many people were late for their second vaccination, but has since removed that data point.

[Register for the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida here]

County	Case	New cases	Hospitalizations	New hospitalizations	Death	New deaths
Brevard	27 542	297	1 695	ten	609	6
Flagler	4,940	35	281	0	60	-1
Lake	20,470	174	1,088	1	386	-6
Marion	23,209	159	1,503	14	562	2
Orange	97 842	994	2,158	9	893	0
Osceola	32,033	299	1 168	3	334	1
Polk	47,795	541	3,680	15	928	8
Seminole	22 928	171	1,013	ten	353	0
Sumter	6,706	60	434	1	169	-1
Volusia	29,051	201	1,442	3	492	0

To stay up to date with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6 coronavirus newsletter and go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.

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