Springfield-Greene County Health Department urges booster shots following increased COVID hospitalizations

(From the Springfield-Greene County Health Department)

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is encouraging those who have not received a booster yet to do so as soon as possible, following a month of increasing cases and hospitalizations.

Of all the positive cases reported to the Health Department in December, 78% were unvaccinated, 20% were fully vaccinated and just 2% were fully vaccinated and boosted. This highlights the importance of getting boosted as the Health Department expects cases of the Omicron variant to grow.

 

A recent look into CoxHealth data shows that getting a booster can help keep people out of the hospital with severe illness. On Jan. 3, of those admitted with COVID-19, only 5% were vaccinated and 0% were fully vaccinated and boosted. Additionally, no one who was fully vaccinated was in critical care.

Getting a booster shot when eligible helps people protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community. It is especially important now after the confirmation of the Omicron variant’s presence in Greene County and the already significant rate of spread in the community since late November.

An overview of COVID-19 data from December is as follows:

Cases:

As of 12/31, the 7-day rolling average of COVID-19 cases more than doubled - reaching 174 cases per day, compared to 75 on 12/1.
There were over 400 people aged 23-30 during the second half of December through Jan. 2 that tested positive for COVID-19.
The 7-day rolling average of COVID-19 cases is 250.6 as of Jan. 6.

Kids aged 5-17 exceeded 400 COVID-19 cases this month for the first time since July 2021.

Death/Hospitalizations:

Springfield-Greene County lost 10 lives in December due to COVID-19 complications. Hospitalizations increased 58% from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31.
1 woman in her 20’s
1 man in his 50’s
1 woman in her 50’s
1 woman in her 60’s
5 men in their 70’s
1 woman in her 80’s

*This number represents confirmed COVID-19 deaths that occurred in December. This number could change based on delayed reports.

Vaccination:

There was a 57% increase in people who became fully vaccinated in December compared to November.
6,860 residents became fully vaccinated in December, compared to 4,364 in November.
Total doses administered, including boosters, reached 28,934 in December.
Since January 2021, 90.5% of individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 were not vaccinated.