Greene County fully vaccinated rate reaches 40 percent, health officials urge public to get vaccinated

(From the Springfield-Greene County Health Department)

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is announcing 40% of Greene County residents 12 and older have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

In the last seven days, 4,371 vaccines were administered at clinics hosted by the Health Department and other community partners – the highest since May 23.

While health leaders are encouraged that more individuals are seeking vaccine, 60% of Greene County residents remain unvaccinated. Our vaccination rates still lag behind state and national rates. To reach the needed level of protection for our community, at least 70% of Greene County residents must be fully vaccinated, especially as the highly contagious and aggressive Delta variant continues to cause severe illness and hospitalizations among unvaccinated individuals.

It took 53 days for our community’s vaccination rate among individuals 18+ to increase from 30% to 40%. It only took 17 days to increase the vaccination rate from 20% to 30%.

“Although our vaccination rates are slowly improving, we need the pace to increase, especially as hospitals continue to see more severe illness in young and healthy individuals. Our local health care systems are seeing numbers they haven’t seen since the height of COVID-19 hospitalizations in December and January,” said Acting Director Katie Towns.

Currently, 230 individuals are being treated for COVID-19 in Springfield hospitals. 111 are Greene County residents and 99 are in critical care. On Wednesday, 405 Greene County residents tested positive for COVID-19, pushing our 7-day rolling average to 220. The last time our community saw case numbers in the 400s was January 4.

While some individuals who are fully vaccinated have still tested positive for COVID-19, their illness is typically mild and rarely requires hospitalization. Unvaccinated individuals are urged to wear a mask and take other precautions while in public.

Everyone 12 and older is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible -- including those who have previously tested positive for COVID-19. A list of vaccine opportunities can be found at vaccine417.com or by calling the Health Department’s COVID-19 call center at (417) 874-1211.