MIAMI (AP) — Officials in Florida’s most populous county are encouraging residents to get vaccinated against coronavirus as infection rates once again spike in the state.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and other government, public safety and health officials released a statement Tuesday urging people to take the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
Miami-Dade has already achieved a vaccination rate of over 75%, according to the Florida Department of Health.
In less than a month, positive tests have increased from 3.6% to 8.6% in Miami-Dade County, officials said. In the last three weeks, the number of COVID-positive inpatients at Miami’s Jackson Health System has increased by 178%.
More than 95% of the new patients are unvaccinated, and more than 40% are under age 50.
