Alachua County reports 34 COVID-19 cases Sunday
Emily MavrakisCOVID-19 Vaccine data across Florida was unavailable Sunday as the state updated its vaccination records system, but vaccination rates remain high in Alachua County.
More than 75,000 residents have received at least one vaccine dose as of Saturday, nearly 29% of the local population. More than 18% of residents are fully vaccinated.
In the state of Florida, 26.6% of the population have received a vaccine dose, and 14.6% of residents are fully vaccinated.
Beginning Monday, vaccine eligibility by age drops from 50 and older to 40 and older. On April 5, all adults over 18 will become eligible.
Groups eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations now include:
- Persons 40 years of age and older;
- Persons determined to be extremely vulnerable by a physician (form required);
- K-12 school employees
- Health care workers with direct patient contact;
- Long-term care facility residents and staff.
Individuals may register for a vaccine by calling 334-8810 or online at alachua.floridahealth.gov. Residents are asked not to register with the state’s vaccination site, myvaccine.fl.gov.
The county health department will be reaching registrants by texting or calling from 352-334-7900.
Those who have already been vaccinated are asked to opt-out of their registration to assist the health department in expediting appointments.
The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System is now scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments to all veterans. Call 548-6000 Ext. 103755 to schedule an appointment. If there is no vaccine availability at your preferred site, you may be offered an appointment at another location.
Retailers including Publix, Walmart, Sam’s Club and Winn-Dixie also are scheduling vaccine appointments in Alachua County, which can be made online.
New case rates, hospitalizations remain low
Alachua County reported 34 new coronavirus cases in Sunday's state health department update, for a new total of 23,273 cases.
Statewide, Florida reported 4,865 new cases, for a total of 2,044,005.
The county’s COVID-19 fatalities stand at 258, including 76 affiliated with long-term care. The residents include at least 71 men and 73 women.
Sunday afternoon, 48 patients at Alachua County hospitals had a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, according to data from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration. Hospitals had about 23.62% available capacity, and overall bed availability has remained stable for the past month.
Alachua County public schools have reported 298 staff and 651 student cases since Aug. 17. Weekly cases have declined since peaking in early January, and there are currently four active cases. Another eight students or staff are quarantined for possible virus exposure.
The University of Florida's coronavirus testing and case dashboard includes positive case totals dating back to March 2020.
No students or staff tested positive Saturday, and 294 new cases have been reported so far in March.
The total number of positives so far since March 2020 is 1,439 for staff, 6,627 for students and 1,300 for employees of a UF-affiliated organization. Another 475 people affiliated with UF are in isolation or quarantine, according to the dashboard.
About 5% of student dorms set aside for isolation and quarantine are occupied. Occupancy levels have increased in the past two weeks.
Within Alachua County’s borders, the cases break down this way: Gainesville, 18,314; Alachua, 1,267; Newberry, 1,139; High Springs, 768; Hawthorne, 505; Archer, 387; Micanopy, 192; University of Florida, 151; Waldo, 95; Earleton, 25; Santa Fe, 24; Tioga, 22; LaCrosse, 22; Cross Creek, eight; Evinston, eight; Island Grove, four; Jonesville, three; Melrose, two. Another five cases have no specific area designation.
In surrounding counties: Bradford has had 2,916 cases and 54 deaths; Clay, 17,315 cases and 325 deaths; Putnam, 6,016 cases and 135 deaths; Marion, 28,926 cases and 916 deaths; Levy, 3,070 cases and 43 deaths; Gilchrist, 1,483 cases and 37 deaths; Columbia, 7,826 cases and 162 deaths; Union, 1,772 cases and 70 deaths.
In the region, Suwannee County has had 5,210 cases and 135 deaths, Lafayette County has had 1,606 cases and 25 deaths, and Dixie County has had 1,549 cases and 23 deaths.