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Florida COVID-19 Vaccination Update – October 26th, 2021
Bottom Line: The advent of boosters has brought about a new and interesting dynamic in COVID-19 vaccinations. More Floridians are consistently obtaining COVID-19 booster shots, or a third dose, than are obtaining a first or a second dose. Take last week for example. Just over 102,500 Floridians obtained a booster compared to 72k receiving a second dose and about 55k who obtained a first dose. In total nearly 876,000 Floridians have obtained a COVID-19 booster. As for those obtaining a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, we’re continuing to see most of them coming from the previously unvaccinated in the workforce. It’s been evident in recent weeks that companies imposing vaccine mandates along with the threat of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate has made a bit of an impact with those in the workforce who’d previously been reluctant.
COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to trend above the national average in Florida. Most Floridians at all age levels have been immunized with at least a first dose most recently. Florida’s overall vaccination rate stands at 68.7% of Florida’s total population with 73% of Florida’s vaccine eligible population. Florida currently ranks 18th overall among all states in COVID-19 vaccination rates, having moved up a spot passing Delaware over the past week.
Here’s an updated look at completed vaccination rates by age:
- 12-19: 56% (+1)
- 20-29: 54%
- 30-39: 63% (+1)
- 40-49: 72%
- 50-59: 77% (+1)
- 60-64: 84%
- 65+: 89%
20-somethings not only continue to be the least likely to have been vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine, but the gap is also growing compared to other age ranges. To that end, something I’ve been tracking during this weekly update is approximately how many Floridians in the workforce would be caught in the crosshairs of President Biden’s workforce vaccine mandate should the OSHA rule go through. About 74% of Florida’s workforce would be impacted. As of today, approximately 69% of Florida’s workforce has been vaccinated. That leaves approximately 665,000 Floridians currently in the crosshairs of the mandate should the OSHA rule come out which may happen any day now. Related, Governor DeSantis has called for a special session next month for the state to pass legislation which would ban the federal vaccine mandate through OSHA. A lot could happen over the next week. To be continued.