New daily vaccinations have about doubled in Anderson County in the 40 days since COVID-19 cases began increasing.
However, the increase in the seven-day average of daily vaccinations has not been as large as the increase in cases, according to calculations by Oak Ridge Today. And less than 50 percent of Anderson County residents are fully vaccinated.
The number of new COVID-19 cases reported each day began rising again in Anderson County on July 12 as the United States began experiencing a fourth surge driven by the more transmissible Delta variant.
From July 12-18, Anderson County reported a daily average of five new COVID cases per day. At the same time, there were 98.4 new vaccines per day.
In the most recent seven days, the county reported 48.7 new COVID cases per day on average. That was almost 10 times as many cases per day in mid-August as in mid-July.
Meanwhile, the average of new vaccines per day rose as well, especially in the past four days. But the rate of increase in new vaccines (a doubling) is still much lower than the rate of increase in new cases (an increase of about 10 times). In the most recent seven days (August 13-19), the average number of new daily vaccines was 204. That was about double the average in mid-July.
There are about four times as many county residents being vaccinated each day as being diagnosed with COVID-19.
However, the average of about 200 new vaccines per day now is still far below the peaks between about 800 and 1,200 new vaccines per day in late March and early April.
On Friday, the Tennessee Department of Health reported that there were 34,099 fully vaccinated people in Anderson County. That’s about 44.3 percent of the 76,978 estimated residents in the county.
The county’s percentage of fully vaccinated residents is higher than the state’s. About 40.9 percent of Tennessee’s 6.8 million residents are fully vaccinated, according to state data.
Health officials have said vaccines are the best tool to fight COVID. Students 12 years old and older are eligible for vaccines. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and make an appointment for a shot here.
Besides vaccines, experts have said face masks are a tool that can be used to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID.
Health officials say the Delta variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is responsible for 80 percent or more of new cases and the fourth surge of COVID in the United States. The surge in Tennessee started more than a month ago. The surge in Anderson County cases started about July 12. Medical workers across the United States have said this more transmissible variant is affecting more young people, especially the unvaccinated, and they and patients and parents of young patients have repeatedly urged people to get vaccinated to avoid the worst effects of COVID-19.
The pandemic began in Tennessee in March 2020.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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