Ascension Sacred Heart is urging residents in our area to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying that community support is needed to stop the surge in cases.
Northwest Florida, has seen a rapid spike in hospitalizations due to the spread of the more
contagious delta variant of COVID-19 and hospitals in the Panhandle are currently treating more
COVID-19 patients than at any time during the prior two surges of the virus.
In the Ascension Sacred Heart hospitals in Miramar Beach, Panama City and Port St. Joe, there
are a total of 134 patients sickened by COVID-19.
That is up 18 percent from a week ago, and it is 10 times higher than it was on July 1st.
Within Ascension Sacred Heart's hospitals, 94 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have
not been vaccinated.
With the spread of the delta variant of the virus, they also have found that the disease is impacting younger patients.
The average age of patients has dropped into the low 40s, which means many patients in their 20s and 30s are getting very sick.
They are seeing fewer patients over 65 because most of those people have been vaccinated.
The best tools available to stop COVID-19 are wearing masks in public indoor spaces and, most important, getting the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccinations are available free of charge at the Health departments in Apalachicola and Port St. Joe as well as through Weems Memorial Hospital, Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf, PanCare of Florida, Inc., North Florida Medical Center and some local pharmacy locations, including CVS and Buyrite.
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