Coronavirus Report: October 11, 2021

By Marsha Mullings, MPH

 USA

44.3 million cases, 718,000 deaths

Florida*

3.6 million cases, 55,667 deaths

*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. The department will instead post weekly updates. The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, October 1 – October 7

 Update

New coronavirus infections have decreased dramatically across the US.

*New infections have dropped significantly in Florida. The daily average last week was 4,000 new infections, down from a daily average of 20,000 a month ago.

*Deaths remain high, at an average of 1,700 per day. Most persons dying were unvaccinated.

Announcement

 Booster Shots

Booster shots are available for individuals who have received two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC recommends that the following groups should receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after completing their first two doses of the Pfizer vaccine:

*people aged 65 years and older.

*residents aged 18 years and older in long-term care settings.

*people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions.

CDC recommends that the following groups may receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after completion of their Pfizer vaccine series:

*people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions.

*people aged 18–64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting.

At this time, only persons who have received the first two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can receive the booster.

Advisory

COVID-19 remains a serious health crisis. Vigilance against disease transmission is critical. Practice good COVID-19 control strategies:

– Observe social distancing guidelines (6 feet or more of separation from others).

– Practice good hand hygiene (wash hands frequently with soap and warm water or use hand sanitizers).

 – Wear a mask when out in public if you are unvaccinated.

For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org; nyt.com; www.coronavirus.jhu.edu;  www.cdc.gov;