- April 19, 2024
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Flagler County's number of new COVID-19 cases has dropped slightly, but it's still higher than it was several weeks ago.
The state Department of Health in Flagler County recorded 789 COVID-19 cases last week — down from 936 the week before, but still above than the 731 recorded in the week before that. Ten COVID-19 patients died last week.
Meanwhile, vaccinations have been increasing by about 1% a week, and the county is currently at a 67% vaccination rate, Florida Department of Health-Flagler Communications Manager Gretchen Smith said on Flagler Broadcasting's "Free For All Friday" radio program Sept. 3.
The department is shifting its testing and vaccination schedule to accommodate the trends its staff members are noticing: The week of Sept. 6, testing will be offered every weekday morning (except for Labor Day, Sept. 6), while testing will be offered in the afternoon three days per week (see the box at left for details).
"We’re trying to modify our testing and vaccination plans based on demand and based on what we’re seeing," she said.
At AdventHealth Palm Coast, Smith said, the number of COVID-19 patients haas dropped to 73, from a high of 97.
Much of the surge has been driven by the reopening of schools: As of Sept. 3, a total of 787 Flagler Schools student had tested positive for COVID-19 since the current school year began on Aug. 10; a total of 86 Flagler Schools staff members also tested positive.
Last year, only 376 students had tested positive over the entire course of the school year.
School Board member Colleen Conklin said that a few days ago, when Flagler had recorded 705 student cases among its 13,300 students, Broward County — which requires students to wear masks, while Flagler does not — had recorded only 418 cases out of its more than 260,000 students.
Conklin had pressed the Flagler County School Board to adopt a mask requirement in Flagler County, but the proposal was voted down 3-2, with Conklin and board member Cheryl Massaro dissenting.
Conklin hosted a live-streamed forum Aug. 31 that gathered a number of local health experts to discuss best practices for COVID-prevention in schools. Her former electoral opponent, local doctor Paul Mucciolo, had participated, and joined her in support for a temporary mask mandate.
"The idea of getting and sharing pertinent information that is scientific-based is really important to me," Conklin said on the radio program. " ... Paul and I were able to set aside our differences and come to together, and we were hoping to make a statement with that. ... It shouldn't be political."
Smith said the forum was valuable.
"It was definitely needed, and there’s a lot of people ... that, sadly, believe what they read on social media, which is not necessarily true," she said. "I think it’s important that we are able to dispel some myths."
View the full forum HERE.
