Why A Record - By Far - 1.1 Million Floridians Received Vaccinations In Past Week

Why are Covid vaccinations spiking in a state infamous for vaccine resistance, especially from its attention-seeking governor? Only @44,000 children were vaccinated during that period, so that does not explain the dramatic rise in inoculation demand.The state's Department of Health has not offered any reasoning, perhaps because its director was appointed for his opposition to vaccines. 

It may just be that Florida's citizens want to safeguard themselves, their children and grandchildren as the holidays approach and more inclusive family reunions loom for the first time in almost two years. Employer mandates probably play a role, as well. But since most of the misinformation about vaccines has been disproven, it could just be that people are tired of the drama and want to move on. JL  

Chris Persaud reports in the Palm Beach Post:

The number of Floridians who have gotten their first shot of the free coronavirus vaccine spiked by more than 1.1 million in the past week. The total is, by far, the biggest one-week increase recorded in the number of Florida vaccinations since the shots became available. As vaccinations have climbed, infections fallen. The state logged 10,302 COVID-19 infections in the past week. That is the smallest one-week increase in new infections since June. 67% of eligible Florida residents are vaccinated.

The number of Floridians who have gotten their first shot of the free coronavirus vaccine spiked by more than 1.1 million in the past week, state health officials reported Friday.

The total is, by far, the biggest one-week increase recorded in the number of Florida vaccinations since the shots became available. The state Department of Health said in its weekly report that 2,890,568 Florida residents are now awaiting second doses of the two-shot Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. The tally on Nov. 5 was 1,740,770.

Friday's report was the first to include immunization data for kids ages 5 to 11. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Oct. 29 approved the Pfizer jab for children in that age bracket.

But the Friday report shows just 44,694 5- to 11-year-olds having gotten their first shots.

Representatives for the state health department and Gov. Ron DeSantis' office did not immediately respond Friday evening to requests to explain the unprecedented weekly increase in first doses.

Previously, the biggest weekly increase the state reported was more than 400,000 during the week ended March 25.

A total of 14,043,681 Florida residents are inoculated against the deadly respiratory disease.

That includes 9,194,415 who have completed the two-shot regimen or received a single Johnson & Johnson shot.

Booster shots have so far entered the arms of 1,958,698 Floridians.

In total, 67% of eligible Florida residents are vaccinated.

In Palm Beach County, 988,083 have been inoculated, covering 80% of the eligible population.

As vaccinations have climbed, infections fallen. The state logged 10,302 COVID-19 infections in the past week. That is the smallest one-week increase in new infections since June 18, just before the summer surge of cases that temporarily made Florida the national epicenter of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, some northern and western states are experiencing upticks in infections. States such as New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota and Colorado have recorded more cases per capita in the past week than Florida.

Florida averaged about seven new infections per 100,000 residents in the past week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. Rates for northern states are five to nine times higher.

Florida has documented 3,668,077 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. Palm Beach County has logged 226,393, a 668-person increase since Nov. 5, the smallest increase since June 11.

Florida's COVID-19 death toll increased by 363 people in the past week. The illness has claimed the lives of 60,697 Floridians so far, including at least 4,296 in Palm Beach County. The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics reports county deaths.

Just 2.5% of coronavirus tests in the past week, both statewide and countywide, came back positive. Those are the lowest figures reported so far.