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Tag: COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 on the rise in Manatee County

COVID-19 rising in Manatee County

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – While life has returned nearly to normal on the Island more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, people are still catching the virus with cases on the rise.

The current community level in Manatee County is medium after spending more than two months at low. 

COVID-19 community levels are a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend taking precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on your community level. The CDC guidelines are:

  • Low: Stay up to date with vaccines and get tested if you have symptoms.
  • Medium: If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your doctor about whether you need to wear a mask or take extra precautions. Stay up to date with vaccines and get tested if you have symptoms.
  • High: Wear a mask indoors in public, stay up to date with vaccines, get tested if you have symptoms and take additional precautions if you’re at high risk for illness.

The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH) continues to give no-cost COVID-19 vaccinations at its clinic on Sixth Avenue East in Bradenton. The DOH offers the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. All vaccinations are by appointment only. Appointments are available between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. Call 941-242-6646 to book an appointment.

COVID-19 in Manatee County

 

June 5

Cases 289

% Positivity 22.39%

Deaths < 10

% Eligible population vaccinated 72.4%

New hospital admissions 33

 

June 13

Cases 298

% Positivity 22.39%

Deaths < 10

% Eligible population vaccinated 72.5%

New hospital admissions 52

 

Source: CDC

Anyone who books an appointment for a vaccination is asked to download and complete a vaccination consent form. Click on “Events” in the toolbar and the system will take you to the page with the form.

Anyone under age 18 who would like to be vaccinated must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The clinic is located at 410 Sixth Ave. E. in Bradenton.

There were three deaths in Manatee County due to COVID-19 in the past week, a 233% increase from the previous week, so the DOH encourages every eligible person to get vaccinated. According to the DOH, anyone who qualifies for a COVID-19 vaccination who has yet to get vaccinated – whether they’ve already had COVID-19 or not – is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. 

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and have proven effective in preventing illness and death due to the virus. If you are seeking a second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, please be sure to bring your vaccination card and the completed consent form to the clinic. 

COVID-19 testing continues to be offered outdoors at the Bradenton Area Convention Center from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day (weather permitting). The site offers both PCR and rapid testing.

Additional vaccination and testing sites in Manatee County can be found here. Vaccines and tests are also available at most pharmacies.

Manatee County to close COVID-19 vaccine site

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Health.

MANATEE COUNTY – With the demand for COVID-19 vaccine first doses lessening, Director of Public Safety Jacob Saur says the county is shutting down its vaccine efforts to focus on the looming hurricane season.

“The county-operated vaccine sites have been extremely successful and I’m proud of the teams of people who helped make Manatee County’s field operation a model for the entire state to follow,” Saur said. “But with the demand for doses declining, the public safety staff who have been coordinating the logistics for our drive-thru operations need to turn their focus toward hurricane season, which begins June 1.”

Manatee County began offering COVID-19 vaccines in late December 2020. Now a drive-up event at the Tom Bennett Park vaccination site will be the final time that Florida residents can get a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from the county, though there are plenty of other vaccination opportunities in the area.

The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 28 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd. in Bradenton. No appointments are required, just drive up and get the shot while remaining in your vehicle. Anyone who attends the drive-up event will have their second shot of the Moderna vaccine at the park on May 26. Anyone who can show proof of Florida residency and is age 18 or older is eligible for a first vaccine dose through Manatee County. Vaccines will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.

Anyone who has already received a first dose of the vaccine at the county-run site and has not been scheduled for a second dose at the Public Safety Center location will receive their second dose approximately 28 days after the first dose at Bennett Park. The Public Safety Center vaccination site is planned to close before the end of April.

Saur said only about 330 people attended the first drive-up vaccination clinic at Bennett Park held April 21, though the county had vaccine doses to distribute to up to 1,000 people.

“As someone who has volunteered, it takes an army to man it,” Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said of the vaccination site. “This week’s walk-up was dismal. If something changes, I am sure we will reconsider. I am referring to all pharmacies, Health Department and MCR Health.”

As of April 22, about 134,000 people had been vaccinated through the Manatee County vaccination sites so far, with an estimated 161,326 Manatee County residents vaccinated in total. In 2020, the U. S. Census Bureau said that there were 412,119 residents in Manatee County.

“I am concerned that it is soon,” Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said of the vaccination site’s closure. “I do not have enough information to provide a very educated opinion, for example, staffing availability, etc. I would hope that there could be pop-up sites as an alternative throughout the county to reach out to all citizens in need.”

If you can’t make it to the April 28 vaccination clinic but still need your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, there are still plenty of options available.

The Department of Health in Manatee County will continue booking vaccination appointments into the summer. Call 941-242-6646 to make an appointment. The DOH is located at 410 Sixth Ave. E. in Bradenton.

The DOH also is working with partner organizations to reach those Manatee County residents who are home-bound, migrant workers and others. Any organization interested in partnering with the DOH to distribute COVID-19 vaccines can call 941-748-0747 for more information.

Locally, vaccines also can be obtained through CVS, Publix, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie pharmacy locations.

To find out where a nearby vaccination site is, visit the Florida Department of Health’s vaccine locator online.

“If they’re not going to give the vaccines anymore they should take the responsibility for continuing to advertise that’s it available elsewhere,” said Cortez resident Mary Green, adding that she adheres to the CDC’s recommendation that vaccinated people continue to wear masks when they’re with other people.

As of April 25, Manatee County has had 37,553 COVID-19 cases and 655 COVID-related deaths.

Related coverage

 

County to close vaccine appointments, site

 

Manatee County offers vaccine registration to those 18 or older

 

Vaccination eligibility dropping to age 40 and older