FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Officials are pushing for more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine as cases continue going up both across the county and locally in South Florida.
Top medical experts are also warning that the pandemic will only get worse.
In Florida, cases are exploding, accounting for more than 19 percent of new cases in the United States.
Dr. David Andrews, an associate medical professor at the University of Miami, is leading a program tracking Covid variants.
“There are a couple of fear characteristics of any variant,” he explained. “Number one: does it spread more rapidly? Clearly that’s the case with Delta. It’s being called almost as transmissible as chickenpox. Unbelievable the variant has mutated into a form that is so rapidly transmissible.”
Less than 60 percent of people are fully vaccinated in the United States.
For information on where COVID-19 vaccines are available in South Florida, click here.
Recently, the CDC recommended mask wearing in areas of high transmission, whether you are vaccinated or not.
The big question now is will there be business restrictions because of the surge.
In Broward County, it appears that answer is no.
“I’m vehemently opposed to closing businesses,” said Broward County Mayor Steve Geller. “I do not want another shutdown, nor do we have the ability to do that, but our case numbers in Broward are completely through the roof, and that’s really the big issue.”
The country’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said he does not believe there will be shutdowns.
Meanwhile, as cases continue rising, Florida’s Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried urged the state’s health department to go back to releasing daily updates on COVID-19 to the public.
Fried is planning to run for governor in 2022.
RELATED LINKS
Florida breaks record for COVID-19 hospitalizations
Florida reports single-day increase of 21,683 new COVID-19 cases, most since start of pandemic
Miami Beach mayor opposes DeSantis’ stance against face mask mandates
Florida COVID-19 cases surge with 100,000+ reported in past week