As infection rates fell below 5%, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings took this week off ending a streak of 64 straight weeks with a coronavirus pandemic update for the public, a sign that life is returning to normal here. “He wouldn’t even think of it unless he felt it was safe, you know, to miss a week,” said Jane Watrel, a county spokeswoman.
‘It’s important to have someone who looks like you’: Orange County epidemiologist shares experience on pandemic frontlines
Alvina Chu explains representation builds stronger community
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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Alvina Chu calls herself a disease detective.
Working with the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, the epidemiologist has been tracking the virus and determining the next moves in the fight against COVID-19.
Chu said she has had life-long interest in science building up to this moment. Both of her parents are physicians from Hong Kong.
Dr. Raul Pino, the health department’s director said she has been key as the Orange County navigated the coronavirus pandemic over the past year.
Vaccine hesitancy remains strong as Florida reports 3,281 new COVID-19 cases
Health experts believe expanded eligibility will help get virus under control
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Vaccine hesitancy remains strong as Florida reports 3,281 new COVID-19 cases
ORLANDO, Fla. – Questions about side effects and how COVID-19 shots were tested are holding some back from getting a vaccine, according to a new poll that highlights the challenges in the U.S. vaccination campaign.
Just 11% of people who remain unvaccinated say they definitely will get the shot, while 34% say they definitely won’t, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
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Central Florida parents make plans to get their younger children vaccinated UPDATED 11:56 AM ET May. 11, 2021 PUBLISHED 10:53 PM ET May. 10, 2021 PUBLISHED 10:53 PM EDT May. 10, 2021
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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. The FDA granted emergency use authorization for children age 12-15 to receive Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine Monday.
What You Need To Know
The FDA granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to children 12-15
Orange County sites are already prepared to serve the newest eligible vaccine recipients
Sites will use the same system in place for 16- and 17-year-olds to get the Pfizer vaccine
Some parents in Central Florida are already making plans to get their kids their shots.
The person had underlying health conditions, but Orange County Epidemiologist Alvina Chu says it’s a reminder that young people can still get serious cases of the virus.
Chu says everyone 16 and up should get the COVID-19 shot as soon as possible.
“This particular case, this youngest person that we now have who has recently died, highlights the urgency of individuals for all of us even those in the younger age groups to get vaccinated and to stay on guard and continue our pandemic precautions.”
The Florida Department of Health has verified that this is the youngest death in the county so far from COVID-19.