America is entering a turning point in the fight against the coronavirus. Vaccines are more available than ever before, workplaces are reopening and Europe is poised to welcome vaccinated Americans in time for the summer travel season. This is no time to let off the gas. But in Florida, vaccinations are slowing in some areas, and among key age groups. That only prolongs the arrival of widespread immunity and a return to a greater sense of normal.
Florida’s vaccine rollout has solidly gathered steam. More than 45% of eligible Floridians have received at least one dose, as surveys show that vaccine hesitancy is declining across the country. Florida’s rate of vaccination is about on par with the nationwide average, according to an exhaustive report Sunday in the Tampa Bay Times. Still, the number of daily vaccinations for residents 65 and older has been slowing since March. Vaccinations among people aged 45 to 54 have been trending down in April. And while vaccinations had been rising for people aged 16 to 44, they have slowed in recent days. Experts fear the trends will sap Florida’s drive to reach herd immunity — that cone of protection expected when between 60 and 85 percent of a population is immunized from the virus.
The race against the virus, coming as demand for shots softens, poses immediate challenges for government agencies, health care providers, nonprofits and the business community — all of whom have a vested stake in safely and further reopening the economy. Florida has hired nearly 3,000 canvassers to knock on doors in Tampa and three other major cities to provide information and register people for shots. This one-on-one contact is critical, whether its addressing an individual’s specific concerns or helping to overcome logistical hurdles.
Counties, churches, civic groups and nonprofits are doing the time-consuming but necessary work of bringing vaccines to hard-to-reach populations. Mobile clinics have helped to inoculate thousands of Floridians, including farmworkers and the homebound. The federal government’s recommendation to temporarily pause use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine over rare cases of blood clotting — a precaution since rescinded — added to public uncertainties. Convincing holdouts to get the shot is critical to fighting the spread of the infection and new variants and more fully reopening society. “At some point, we will reach herd immunity, it’s just at what cost,” said Dr. Edgar Sanchez, an infectious disease specialist with Orlando Health.
Edwin Michael, a professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida who is modeling predictions of the coronavirus in Florida, estimates that the state will reach herd immunity by December at its current pace. Getting there will require a resurgent push for vaccinations in lagging counties, such as Hillsborough, Hernando and Polk, and sustained efforts to win over skeptics and reach disadvantaged communities. New federal data show that nearly 8 percent of those who got the first of a two-shot vaccine have missed their second doses, meaning that millions of Americans are not fully protected. Officials are rightly launching new television and social media campaigns to fight misinformation and COVID-19 fatigue.
Getting over the hump will require a lift, but there is hope in the offing. The head of the European Union said Sunday that American tourists who have been fully vaccinated will be able to visit the union’s 27-member states this summer. President Joe Biden is expected to announce new federal guidance Tuesday that many expect to include a loosening on mask-wearing outdoors. More vaccinations will keep the momentum going — and it’s critical to make progress in a big state like Florida.
