This archive report was first published on 29 August 2021.
As of August 2021, Florida was grappling with a COVID-19 crisis that had taken a devastating turn. The state recorded 5,600 deaths in the first week of August, a figure that was more than 50 percent above the typical mortality rate for the summer months.
According to Dr. Stephen J. Nelson, the Polk County medical examiner, the situation was dire, with a 'ton of people calling us to report the Covid deaths.' These deaths were often among young people who had been sick for a while.
However, the picture of who was dying was complicated. While about 82 percent of people 65 and older in the state were fully vaccinated, a significant number of older people – approximately 819,000 – remained unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated. This left them vulnerable to the virus, especially if they took fewer precautions.
Jason L. Salemi, an epidemiologist at the University of South Florida, noted that the Delta variant was 'exceptional at finding vulnerable populations.' This was particularly concerning in nursing homes, where infections could spread quickly.
As of August 15, the vaccination rate among nursing home residents was lower than every state but Nevada, with an average of 73.1 percent fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, only 47.5 percent of nursing home staff members were fully vaccinated, the lowest rate of any state but Louisiana.
Older people were also more likely to have immune deficiencies and comorbidities, making them more susceptible to breakthrough infections and hospitalizations. Some data suggested that immunity against infection had waned in older, vaccinated adults, and the Biden administration had indicated that those people would be among the first in line for booster shots.
Furthermore, the younger population was also being affected, with people under 65 making up a larger share of Florida virus deaths. Before June 25, this proportion was 22 percent, but it had risen to 28 percent since then.
