COVID infection rate below 10% for fifth week

Posted on March 17, 2021

One year after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic began trickling into Taylor County, the area has seen its infection rate remain under the target goal of 10% for the fifth consecutive week.

Over the past 26 days, Taylor County has reported a total of 97 new coronavirus cases, which averages just under four positives per day and a 5.9% infection rate.

“Taylor County is doing great! We have seen decreasing reported infection rates, and we are getting many of our most at-risk residents vaccinated,” said Department of Health-Taylor (DOH-Taylor) Administrator Padraic Juarez.

In total, Taylor County has logged 2,679 positive coronavirus cases, 94 (or 4%) of which have been hospitalized. Additionally, 43 individuals (or 2%) who previously tested positive have died.

Juarez said that over the past month the number of people coming through DOH-Taylor’s drive-thru COVID-19 testing site has slowly been decreasing.

The week of Feb. 6, some 602 COVID-19 tests were administered. The following week, that number dropped to 400.

The number of administered coronavirus tests has leveled off at approximately 350 cases for the week of March 7, the most recent data available.

“While we have not done a poll, we believe this is because there are more and more options for getting the testing done elsewhere, and that there are less people becoming ill,” Juarez said.

Juarez attributed this to the standardization of the social distancing guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“People are wearing masks while in public and doing their best to limit their close interactions with others in enclosed spaces,” Juarez said.

DOH-Taylor continues to offer free COVID-19 testing on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. The drive-thru test site is located at 1215 N. Peacock Ave. in Perry.

“We have been averaging about 10 to 15 people requesting testing,” Juarez said, adding, “We do not believe there is a correlation to the vaccines and the drop in cases, as there have been too few people vaccinated.”

To date, 3,490 people have received the COVID vaccine in Taylor County, with 54% of the county’s senior citizen population having received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Vaccines are available to those who are 60 years of age and older, law enforcement officers and educators 50 years of age and older, as well as immunocompromised individuals with a referral from their primary care doctor.

“The demand for an appointment has dropped off for our senior citizens, but we are hopeful that those remaining will either come to our walk-in clinic or to one of the many other options that are available,” Juarez said.

DOH-Taylor hosts mass vaccination clinics on Fridays at Forest Capital Hall, with same week appointments available. To make a vaccination appointment with DOH-Taylor, call (850) 584-5087.

Vaccines are also available by appointment only at the local CVS, located at 105 W. Hampton Springs Avenue, as well as Winn Dixie, located at 2057 S. Byron Butler Parkway, both in Perry.

According to Juarez, the DOH-Taylor staff is working with area medical providers to determine if distributing the vaccine via primary care offices is a viable option.

“I am hopeful that this may pick up some of our residents that would prefer to go to their primary care physician for a vaccine,” Juarez said.

Juarez encourages those who are eligible to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID vaccine as soon as possible.

“In order to put a stop to the spread of this disease it is important that we vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible,” he said.

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