COVID-19: Numbers Surging In Palm Beach County Heading Into The Holidays
Palm Beach County Leads The State In COVID Infections As We Head Into The Holidays.
Boca Raton, FL – Boca Post (BocaPost.com) — Palm Beach County is now ranking highest in the state for community transmission of COVID-19. With the highly contagious Omicron variant spreading across the US and the seasonal visitors flocking to South Florida, the ominous ‘winter of death’, some say, is upon us.
The first death caused by the Omicron variant was documented in Texas yesterday. While the highly contagious Omicron variant does not appear to be the most dangerous, it certainly is the most prevalent. The CDC is estimating that currently 73% of all COVID-19 infections are of the Omicron variant.
According to the CDC, Palm Beach County is now has the highest transmission risk score in the State of Florida. That score is determined based on the fact that Palm Beach County has seen 2,384 new cases in the last 7 days. Palm Beach County, in the last 7 days, now has a case rate of 159.28 per 100k people. That is a 10.73% positivity rate. Palm Beach County is reporting 0 new deaths in this 7 day period. Palm Beach County hospitals are reporting 101 new hospitalizations.
The threat level has risen in Palm Beach County and according to our partners at Kinsa, Palm Beach County is now considered ‘High Risk’. Being a High Risk area, Kinsa of course recommends that high risk groups should protect themselves by avoiding all social contact. All groups should be limiting social contact and be practicing preventative actions.
Palm Beach County is touting a 86% ‘fully vaccinated’ rate in the 65+ and older age groups, with 95% of that age group having at least 1 vaccination. This is the age group that are considered to be in higher risk.
The numbers do tell a story. Vaccinations are at least partially working. Omicron is not as dangerous as we were once led to believe; however, it is extremely contagious. Most importantly, the numbers should remind us that it is not time to let our guard down.
