Leon leaders launch Safe & Healthy Big Bend Initiative
Local leaders launched the Safe & Healthy Big Bend initiative Wednesday to educate the community about the COVID-19 vaccine and best practices for preventing the spread of the virus.
Attendees at the virtual launch included Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey, Leon County Commission Chairman Rick Minor, Leon Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna and former Tallahassee city commissioner Elaine Bryant, among others.
The initiative includes public service announcements featuring local leaders and the launch of a website, safeandhealthybigbend.com, which contains information about how to get vaccinated locally and other information about COVID-19.
This initiative comes months after the first vaccine was administered in Leon County in late December during a chaotic rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine throughout Florida.
More:‘I’ll tell you what I know and what I don’t’: Inside a chaotic COVID-19 vaccine rollout | Column
So far, 52,800 locals have received at least one of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, according to the Florida Department of Health. As state health officials organize case, death and vaccine data by an individual’s county of residence, this may not mean the number of people currently in Leon County who have been vaccinated.
More:COVID: Leon County seniors wait for unknown vaccine callers; 6 more residents die
During the Wednesday press conference, Mayor Dailey said it’s important for citizens to have “timely, trusted local information on how to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, and how to protect not only themselves but their families and their communities.”
More:COVID vaccine: Statewide task force proposes 86 sites to help close disparities in Florida
Bryant highlighted disparities in healthcare and the lack of trust among Black communities as issues the task force is trying to address. She is also the project director of the Statewide Coronavirus Vaccination Community Education and Engagement Task Force, which is aimed at educating minority communities about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Disparities continue in who is being vaccinated locally against the virus.
To date, 58% of those vaccinated in Leon are white and 13% are Black, according to state data. About 28% fall into the health department’s “other” and “unknown” categories.
More:‘We’re dying’: As vaccine disparity hits home in Tallahassee, Black leaders sound the alarm
“To overcome these barriers is going to require us to mobilize all our resources,” Bryant said.
Claudia Blackburn, health officer for the Leon County health department, said the county has recently seen a decrease in COVID-19 case positivity, adding that Leon has one of the highest percentages of vaccinated seniors aged 65 and older.
To date, 31,005 Leon residents aged 65 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Leon County is home to more than 40,000 seniors in this age group, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Brenda Holt, Gadsden County Commission chair, added that local vaccination efforts are important for rural citizens who may not live near a regional vaccine site.
So far in Gadsden County, 8,393 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
“We needed the mobile units to provide healthcare not only for the vaccines but also for healthcare in general,” Holt said.
The panelists highlighted the importance of continuing to follow all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, including mask wearing and hand washing, to prevent the spread of the virus until vaccines are more widely available.
“We can get back to normal soon, but it’s going to take more work before we do,” Minor said.
Local hospitalizations
On Wednesday in Leon County, 19 people were in local hospitals with COVID-19, according to hospital officials.
- Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare reported two inpatients were positive for the virus.
- Capital Regional Medical Center reported 17 inpatients were positive for COVID-19.
Neither hospital tracks the number of people who have recovered from the virus.
The Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA) reported on Wednesday that 61 beds were available between the two hospitals for a bed availability of about 8.5%.
Casey Chapter is the news editor of the FSView & Florida Flambeau. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @CaseyChapter.
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