COVID-19 infection rate falls

Posted on February 10, 2021

Mirroring state and national trends, Taylor County’s COVID-19 infection rate has fallen significantly recently, plummeting from approximately 25% five weeks ago to 9.7% in the past week according to information available as of press time Tuesday.

Taylor County recorded just 51 new coronavirus cases from Feb. 1 to Feb. 9 — logging less than 100 cases per week for the first time in eight weeks.

Tuesday’s update brought the county’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 2,564 since the pandemic began just over one year ago in January 2020.

Of the 2,564 total local cases, 88 have been hospitalized since the area reported its first positive case on April 2, 2020.

The Department of Health dashboard documented eight emergency room visits with COVID-like symptoms during the week of Jan. 24-Jan. 31, which was down from the previous week’s 22 visits.

The downward trends mark a turning point during the pandemic for Taylor County, after the area has accumulated record-high positive cases since mid-December.

During that time, 16 people who previously tested positive had died, representing 40% of Taylor County’s total 37 deaths.

Approximately 81% of those who have died were 65 years of age or older.

In addition to regular appointments at the local health department office, the Department of Health-Taylor (DOH-Taylor) has held two mass vaccination clinics, with a third to be held today (Wednesday) to distribute 500 second doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Some 43.5% of Taylor County’s 65 and older population have now received at least the first dose of the Moderna vaccine.

Additionally, approximately 10.6% of Taylor County’s overall population — including healthcare professionals and first responders — have received the first dose of the vaccine.

To be placed on the waiting list to receive the vaccine, please call (850) 584-5087, option 2, or fill out the form online at http://taylor.floridahealth.gov/.

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