TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Capital Regional Medical Center released a joint statement Wednesday in regards to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the community.
As of July 15, there are 33,157 cases in Leon County, with a 17.2 percent case positivity rate. Additionally, 134,619 people ages 12 and up have been vaccinated, meaning 51 percent of the county has been vaccinated.
"The Tallahassee healthcare community is seeing a dramatic increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the non-vaccinated, under age 50 population, including many individuals in their 20s and 30s. Together, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Capital Regional Medical Center currently have 47 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, which is significantly higher than last week.
In the statement, they also added that the number of hospitalizations for vaccinated Leon County residents 65 and older is decreasing.
According to Dr. Trey Blake, Chief Medical Officer at Capital Regional Medical Center, younger unvaccinated patients are the ones being hospitalized and treated nationwide.
“Across the nation, we are seeing younger patients, on average 40-50 years old and unvaccinated, who need treatment and hospitalization," said Dr. Blake. "We want to ensure this trend does not continue. We cannot stress enough the importance of becoming vaccinated."
As for the delta variant of COVID-19, Dr. Dean Watson who is the Chief Integration Officer at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Capital Health Plan said that vaccines have shown to be effective against it.
“We now know the delta variant has reached Leon County,” said Dr. Watson. “This variant is significantly more contagious than the original (alpha) variant of the virus. The good news is the COVID-19 vaccine has shown to be incredibly effective against the delta variant."
Dr. Watson also added that the delta variant is spreading predominately amongst the unvaccinated population and that the best way to achieve immunity is by getting the shot.
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