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STATE – The number of coronavirus cases is rising sharply again in the Sunshine State as the Delta variant spreads.
What would you like to know
- Delta variant is much more contagious than previous strains of COVID-19
- It makes people sicker and poses a much more serious health threat
- Doctors stress importance of getting vaccinated
The Florida Department of Health reported more than 23,000 new cases of coronavirus last week, an increase of 8,000 cases from the previous week.
Medical leaders continue to stress that higher vaccination rates are the key to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant. Cases of the Delta variant, first reported in India, are spreading rapidly in Florida and across the country, with many doctors concerned.
The Delta variant is much more contagious than previous strains of COVID-19, doctors say, and makes people much sicker, posing a much more serious health threat. The warning against this rising variant comes as hospitalization rates in Florida rise.
The rate of positive coronavirus cases is also leaping in the Sunshine State, from 4% in recent weeks to 7.8% last week.
Health officials in the United States are concerned that the spread of the Delta variant could lead to mini increases in cases in areas with low vaccination rates, saying this may not be the only time it has happened. occurs unless we achieve collective immunity.
“It’s going to continue to happen. Uh, you know, it can peak here and then it’ll spread to other places. If we don’t vaccinate enough, there will be another variant that will probably be worse. It’s just, you know, that’s how viruses work, ”said Dr. Howard Jarvis, medical director of CoxHealth.
The Florida Department of Health reported that about 11 million Floridians aged 12 and older had received at least one dose of the vaccine, or 58% of the eligible population.
Nationally, only 48% of the total United States population is fully vaccinated. Medical leaders say when it comes to beating COVID-19 and the Delta variant, the sooner people roll up their sleeves, the better.
If you still need a COVID-19 shot, Barnett Park in Orlando is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week for COVID-19 testing and the vaccine.
No appointment is necessary. Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines are available. For more information, including other Orlando vaccination sites, visit the website here.
To find a vaccination site in other parts of Florida, go here.
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