Marion County continues to roll out more and more COVID-19 vaccines, as local residents are now finding it easier to get a life-saving shot, especially those who are computer savvy.
As the Florida Department of Health in Marion County and hospitals work on vaccinating seniors ages 65 and older, front-line health care workers, teachers and first responders, six neighborhood pharmacy chains are also taking appointments for vaccinations.
And the number of people being vaccinated is climbing quickly.
The number of Marion residents who have received at least a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine increased in 24 hours by 1,668 to 72,635 on Tuesday. Also, 506 more people now have had both first and second doses, for a total of 42,611.
United Way of Marion County working with county government to provide $10.8 million in rent and utility assistance for those who had a financial hardship due to COVID-19 pandemic.
A 50-person team of nurses and Florida Air National Guard airmen was on hand for a mass COVID-19 vaccination event Monday at the Florida Horse Park.
It was part of Gov. Ron DeSantis plan to get more shots into the arms of people ages 65 and older. Marion County has been lagging behind the state average when it came to the percentage of the area s seniors who had been vaccinated.
In the middle of last week, 44% of Marion s seniors had gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, while 60% of all seniors statewide had gotten their vaccination. Officials hope recent vaccination events will increase Marion s percentage to near 55%.
The number of weekly COVID-19 cases in Marion County schools dropped by 15 this week, with 38 people (28 students and 10 staff members) testing positive for COVID-19 from Feb. 26-March 4, according to Friday s school district report.
There were 53 cases reported for Feb. 19-25, 52 cases reported for Feb. 12-18 and 72 cases reported for Feb. 5-11. About 87% of the district s 41,000-plus students are now attending in-person school.
The report also showed that 367 other people (347 students and 20 staff) had to be put into quarantine during the week of Feb. 26-March 4. That number was 550 for Feb. 19-25, 536 for Feb. 12-18, and 711 for Feb. 5-11.
School officials say some of the same people who were reported on last week s list may still be in be quarantine again this week. Those in quarantine had close contact, either at home or at school, with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Health officials say that 41% of Marion County residents ages 65 and older have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and that they hope to vaccinate another 12,000 more people this week.
Mark Lander, the administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, said Tuesday that local health officials had vaccinated more than 40,000 of those initial 50,000 seniors who registered with the health department in eight days, beginning in late December.
The county stopped taking registrations in early January and shifted people to a state registration site. I was told that by this weekend we will be done with that first 50,000, Lander told the County Commission on Tuesday. We have a pretty aggressive schedule going this week.