Health & Fitness
Pinellas Surpasses 50 Percent Vaccination Rate As COVID-19 Cases Decline
Going into the third week of June, 492,878 Pinellas residents had received the vaccine, according to the Department of Health.
PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — More than 50 percent of all Pinellas County residents have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, contributing to low positive cases at the start of the summer travel season.
Going into the third week of June, 492,878 Pinellas residents had received the vaccine, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.
Pinellas has also maintained a significantly lower rate of new positive cases compared with the rest of the state at 2.7 percent compared to Florida's 3.3 percent average over a seven-day period.
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The COVID-19 vaccine continues to be available free of charge no matter where you get it. It's available at most large pharmacies and through other health care providers, including the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas.
"With the emergence of a highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant, it is even more important to get vaccinated," said Dr. Ulyee Choe, director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County.
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He said getting the COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to eliminate the risk of deadly illness and stop the spread of the pandemic. Anyone who has not yet received the vaccine is encouraged to talk to a doctor or care provider.
DOH-Pinellas is hosting summer vaccine clinics in the next two months for eligible children and their families. A list of places offering the vaccine in Pinellas can be found here.
If you have not yet received the vaccine due to child care or transportation limitations, click here for a list of resources. The site also lists dozens of companies offering incentives to residents who get the vaccine.
Anyone 12 and older is eligible to receive the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. Adults may also get approved vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
Since the vaccine became available to local nursing homes and long-term care facilities in December, the weekly rate of COVID-19 deaths has dropped dramatically in Pinellas County. Choe said this is due in a large part to the vaccine's protective effects.
To date, the virus has claimed the lives of more than 37,555 people in Florida.
The Florida Department of Health releases updated case and vaccine statistics weekly here.
