Florida Covid Statistics: What Is Really Happening, October 20, 2022

Since everyone 16+ became eligible for vaccination on April 1, 2021, permanent Florida residents have been 46% more likely to die than people living elsewhere in the US.

Prior to that, death was 8% less likely for Floridians.

Even during October 14–20, 2022, a permanent Florida resident was 44% more likely to die from Covid (266; 9.4% of all Covid deaths) compared to other people in the US (2,566).

Among the 6 largest states, Florida has the worst death rate. During May through August, Florida’s death rate was 3x that of the other states with the largest populations, the highest temperatures, or the oldest populations.

Similarly, Florida hospital admissions are 58% higher than in the rest of the US since April 1, 2021.

During June 2–August 16, 2022, there were only 4 days that the state did not rank worst in adult admissions.

For October 14–20, the Florida admissions rate was 23% lower than elsewhere in the US. Per capita, there were 77 admissions in Florida for every 100 admissions elsewhere in the US. This has dropped sharply.

For the week ending on 9-8-22, there were 235.

Florida’s pediatric ranking has been no better than 3^rd worst on only 6 Friday snapshots since April 20, 2022. In the last week, 49 children were admitted to Florida hospitals.

To download a pdf of this post, click here.

Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Florida vs. the Rest of the US Before and After 16+ Vaccination and During October 14–20

Salemi USF: COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Florida

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

Now that the CDC is issuing reports once a week through each Wednesday and Florida is reporting to them on Thursdays, there is a one-week lag in CDC data.

For example, when I accessed the CDC’s Florida Reported Deaths by County and the Percent Change in Florida Deaths from Previous 7 Days, all the numbers were identical to what I reported last week.

Nevertheless, the date listed for that information was October 19^th, not October 13^th.

I have contacted the CDC about this issue.

Please note that I do not know whether this is occurring with other states. Rankings may be skewed by old information.

Unless this changes, I will drop reporting in half to only those weeks when the state issues a report.

As it now stands, the CDC will be reporting what is in this week’s Florida Department of Health Situation Report next week.

I should be able to add state data to old CDC data in some categories on the weeks when Florida releases a report. However, there is no point in producing a report with data that is a week old.

Unfortunately, Dr. Salemi is also running into this roadblock.

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

CDC: Florida Reported Deaths by County

CDC: Percent Change in Florida Deaths from Previous 7 Days

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

I have also published an archived omicron variant post, archived delta variant information, and archived general Covid-19 information. However, the most recent omicron information is here.

Other New and Urgent Information:

A new review of research reveals that Long Covid accelerates the aging of multiple organs, including the brain, heart, and kidneys.

In a sign that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is going to create problems for a long time, on October 20^th, a CDC committee unanimously voted to add Covid vaccination to the recommended pediatric immunization schedule.

Contrary to some allegations, it is not a government mandate. Instead, it will enable children without health insurance to access the vaccines more easily.

A week earlier, the CDC expanded the age range for the updated booster to include anyone aged 5+.

The CDC recommends this booster two months after previous Covid vaccination or three months after infection.

People who should receive the older mRNA versions are those without two shots.

Becker’s Hospital Review: COVID-19 Ages Organs, Compilation of Studies Finds

MedPage: CDC Advisors Endorse Adding COVID Shots to Vax Schedule—Updated Schedules Don’t Mandate Vaccination or Prevent Unvaccinated Kids from Attending School

CDC: CDC Expands Updated COVID-19 Vaccines to Include Children Ages 5 Through 11

CDC: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots

In contrast to the myocarditis arising from vaccination, the inflammation resulting from SARS-CoV-2 can cause life-threatening heart conditions in adults, adolescents, and children.

The risk of developing myocarditis from a Covid infection vs. the milder vaccine-induced type among males is 4:1 for ages 5–11, 3:1 for ages 12–17, 6:1 for ages 18–29, and 11:1 for ages 30+:

As of October 13, 2022, permanent Florida residents aged 15–24 were in the demographic with the worst percentage of Covid deaths compared to the rest of the US, 34% higher than the national average (220):

Circulation: Myocarditis with COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

MMWR: Cardiac Complications After SARS-CoV-2 Infection and mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination—PCORnet, United States, January 2021–January 2022

Circulation: Relationship Between Preexisting Cardiovascular Disease and Death and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

Salemi USF: Covid Deaths by State

Self-disclosure: I earned my MPH in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from UCLA.

In a peer-reviewed retrospective analysis of medical records for 175 nursing home residents, I researched the incidence and severity of adverse drug events (ADEs) and adverse drug withdrawal reactions (ADWEs) which publications still cite today.

It involved developing and standardizing explicit criteria to link clinical adverse events to drug administration or withdrawal; determining the incidence and severity of those events; and establishing the contribution of demographic, clinical, and functional characteristics to ADEs and ADWEs. That was 30 years ago.

Florida’s surgeon general released an unpublished analysis without peer review regarding mRNA vaccination based upon death certificates of young men.

Here is what the anonymous author(s) wrote about the limitations of their study:

In contrast, JAMA published research on twelve million Covid vaccination outcomes based on medical records. Following a rigorous methodology, the authors determined that no serious outcomes were statistically significant in these categories:

Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD has posted an excellent review of the numerous problems with the study released by Dr. Ladapo: A Critical Review of Florida’s New Vaccine Analysis.

For those of you who are interested in an in-depth analysis including how to conduct a self-controlled case series without inflating the results, this is an excellent article: Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say.

This week, Dr. Ladapo stirred up additional controversy by appearing on a conspiracy-themed podcast banned by YouTube, Twitter, and Spotify for advocating violence.

Dr. Ladapo’s previous employer was UCLA. The state hired him despite his supervisor’s written response concerning whether she recommended his appointment:

“No. In my opinion the people of Florida would be better served by a surgeon general who grounds his policy decisions and recommendations in the best scientific evidence rather than opinions…Dr. Ladapo’s opinions … were contrary to the best scientific evidence available about the COVID-19 pandemic and caused concern among a large number of his research and clinical colleagues and subordinates who felt that his opinions violated the Hippocratic Oath that physicians do no harm.”

For those inclined to believe Dr. Ladapo despite the feedback from scientists, Novavax is a great option.

MedPage: Critics Fire Back at Florida’s COVID Vax Analysis—Experts Pointed Out Flaws in the Data Behind the Florida Surgeon General’s Latest Vaccine Recs

JAMA: Surveillance for Adverse Events After COVID-mRNA Vaccination

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Surgeon General Touts Book on Show that Backs QAnon Conspiracy Theory

LA Times: In Threat to Public Health, Florida Publishes Flawed and Unscientific Anti-vaccine ‘Study’

FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Emergency Use of Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted

The rise of omicron BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 is quite concerning.

Although these new subvariants evolved from BA.5, they evade the immune responses found in people who had that omicron subvariant.

The new bivalent mRNA booster vaccines developed to respond to BA.5 are expected to remain effective against severe disease:

Evusheld (CIL/TIX) does not work against 34% of the subvariants in the region which includes Florida (BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, BF.7, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1).

Bebtelovimab fails to neutralize BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 (10%):

Other research compared the proportion of boosted inpatients vs. inpatients with only a primary series over time since the last dose.

Those who mixed vaccines by getting a different booster had the lowest hospitalization rates.

As this chart shows, booster protection waned over time, with a major decrease beginning after 100 days:

Lab tests compared the older Moderna vaccine (mRNA 1273) with the bivalent Moderna vaccine specific for omicron (mRNA 1273.214).

Antibodies against an omicron variant in those with and without previous infection were much higher with the newer formula. Side effects were similar:

Until September 2^nd, each household could order up to three sets of four Covid tests at Covid.gov.

Funding for this expired, except for people with Medicare Part B. They can receive 8 tests/month at participating pharmacies.

You can still locate free masks at that site.

Stanford Univ: Coronavirus Antiviral and Resistance Database

FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines for Use as a Booster Dose

AMA: New Omicron Boosters Available from Pfizer and Moderna with Sandra Fryhofer, MD

JAMA: COVID-19-Associated Hospitalizations Among Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Adults 18 Years or Older in 13 US States, January 2021 to April 2022

NEJM: A Bivalent Omicron-Containing Booster Vaccine Against Covid-19

The Hill: Federal Government to Halt Free COVID-19 At-home Tests by Early September

To check on other locations in the US, I recommend finding the statistical category you’re seeking on this post and then clicking on Dr. Salemi’s or the CDC’s site and entering a different state or county.

An Overview:

The rise of omicron BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 is quite concerning. Although these new subvariants evolved from BA.5, they evade the immune responses found in people who had that omicron subvariant.

The new bivalent mRNA booster vaccines developed to respond to BA.5 are expected to remain effective against severe disease.

Evusheld does not work against 34% of the subvariants in the region which includes Florida (BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, BF.7, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1). Bebtelovimab fails to neutralize BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 (10%).

If you were infected with Covid in Florida before the end of March, you are highly unlikely to have immunity to the current subvariants.

Three doses of the original vaccine formulas are also significantly less protective than for earlier omicron subvariants.

Recent research indicates that additive damage occurs to numerous organ systems with each Covid infection.

In the US during August 28–September 3, 2022, 2 boosters prevented 91% of deaths; 1 booster prevented 61%; and a primary series prevented 52%.

A 2^nd booster of the original vaccines is much less effective at preventing infections. For people 50+ during September 18–24, having at least 2 boosters prevented 67% of infections; 1 booster prevented 49%; and a primary series prevented 79%. This was prior to the booster formulated against BA.4 and BA.5.

Since everyone 16+ became eligible for vaccination on April 1, 2021, permanent Florida residents have been 46% more likely to die than people living elsewhere in the US. Prior to that, death was 8% less likely for Floridians.

Even during October 14–20, 2022, a permanent Florida resident was 44% more likely to die from Covid (266; 9.4% of all Covid deaths) compared to other people in the US (2,566).

Florida has the 3^rd highest number of excess deaths compared to other states. That is the total number of excess deaths, not the number per 100,000 people. California has 80% more people than Florida; TX has 35% more.

Until mid-August, Florida ranked near the worst in the US for confirmed cases for 10 straight weeks. The state seems to have emerged from the latest omicron wave, declining to 10^thbest after a week at 4^th in the nation for permanent residents.

Since everyone 16+ became eligible for vaccination on April 1, 2021, Florida hospital admissions are 58% higher than in the rest of the US.

Since April 20^th, Florida’s pediatric ranking has been no better than 3^rd worst on only 6 Fridays. On October 24^th, it was 29^th best. In the last week, 54children were admitted to Florida hospitals.

A report released by the US House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in June 2022 explains Florida’s approach to the pandemic: get as many lower-risk people infected as quickly as possible to reach herd immunity.

In July 2020, one senior federal official advocated for deliberate infection “kind of like measles parties.” He wrote, “Infants, kids, teens, young adults, middle aged with no conditions, etc. have zero to little risk…so we use them to develop herd…we want them infected…and recovered… with antibodies…Hospitals are NOW geared, PPE in place, ICU beds are on the ready, doctors and nurses alert….”

Scott Atlas, the chief architect of the herd immunity plan, advised the DeSantis Administration before joining the federal government. Dr. Joseph Ladapo also promoted this “low testing/no masks/no lockdown” strategy to the White House before becoming the state’s surgeon general.

The state hired Dr. Ladapo despite his supervisor’s written response concerning whether she recommended his appointment, “No. In my opinion the people of Florida would be better served by a surgeon general who grounds his policy decisions and recommendations in the best scientific evidence rather than opinions…Dr. Ladapo’s opinions…were contrary to the best scientific evidence available about the COVID-19 pandemic and caused concern among a large number of his research and clinical colleagues and subordinates who felt that his opinions violated the Hippocratic Oath that physicians do no harm.”

As of October 13^th, 64 Floridians <15 have died from Covid, including an infant that week. So far, 21 permanent Florida residents under 1 year old have died. Florida children aged 1–4 have a death rate 6% worse than the national average, with 12 deaths. Compared to the rest of the US, ages 5–14 and 15–29 were dying at 28% and 34% higher rates than their peers nationwide.

Over 3,000 Covid deaths in 2020 which a state auditor detected in early June will not be added to the state tally. The Florida Department of Health does not consider having Covid listed on a death certificate sufficient to count it as due to Covid.

As of 10-20-22, 1.3% of all permanent Florida residents who are 65+ had died from Covid. That this improved after July 14^th—when it was also 1.3%—is impossible. The dip occurred in the 7-28-22 report even though the size of that demographic group remained the same.

Comparing the June 30^th to the June 16^th report, there is an increase of 500,000 people who had received at least one shot by the same date (June 16^th). The FL Department of Health spokesman refused to explain the discrepancy.

Until receiving a demand from a bipartisan Congressional committee on June 18^th, the FL Dept of Health prevented hospitals and doctors’ offices from preordering the vaccines which the FDA and CDC approved for children at least 6 months old.

One page of the official Department of Health web site lies about the FDA’s recommended age for vaccination, saying it is 12+, not 6 months+. Another of the agency’s pages cites it accurately. See the Vaccination section for a more detailed account.

There were more cumulative cases reported for children under five in the June 16^th report (192,875) than in the June 30^th report (191,640). That gives us -1,235 for June 17–23, when the state was hindering vaccination of that age group. To my knowledge, that has not been corrected.

On June 28^th, Dr. Ladapo testified to Congress that he and Governor DeSantis made the decision not to preorder vaccines and to prevent county health departments from administering them. He estimated that would affect 33,000 children.

When asked about the risk of Covid infections compared to the risk of vaccination, the surgeon general called it “a perverse question.” He asserted what matters is the risk of vaccination vs. non-vaccination.

On June 30^th, the day the president of the Florida Academy of Pediatrics began vaccinating young children, the state removed her from her board position at Florida Healthy Kids.

Florida’s Chief Financial Official claimed it was for “some very political statements that do not reflect the CFO’s point of view, even going so far as to as to say that the state is ‘obstruct(ing)’ access to vaccines. The CFO does not share your opinion and believes the state has gone to great lengths to protect lives in the face of the Coronavirus.”

Children <5 years old in the US were 5x as likely to need hospital care during the first omicron wave than during delta.

When Florida officials refused to preorder vaccines for young children, the state was the 2^nd worst in the US for pediatric admissions.

Among 1,040,000 children under 5 who received vaccination, symptoms were like those from routine childhood immunizations. No cases of myocarditis occurred. Only 19 experienced severe reactions (0.2%). Two of them were hospitalized due to vaccination (0.0002%).

Ars Technica: BA.5 Is Finally Fading—Sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Rise from Variant Stew

MedR_xiv: Imprinted SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immunity Induces Convergent Omicron RBD Evolution

Becker’s Hospital Review: Where BQ.1 Is Most Prevalent: 5 Notes on the New COVID-19 Variant

Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State

Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Florida vs. the Rest of the US Before and After 16+ Vaccination and During October 14–20

CDC: Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19 by Jurisdiction/Cause

American Heart Assn: Rethink What You Thought You Knew about COVID-19 Reinfection

MedR_xiv: Further Humoral Immunity Evasion of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 and BA.5 Subvariants

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

CDC: Variant Proportions

MedR_xiv: Further Humoral Immunity Evasion of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 and BA.5 Subvariants

CDC: CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots

MedPage: Report Shows Trump Administration Embraced Herd Immunity via Mass Infections—The Strategy Likely Contributed to Many Preventable Deaths, Report Notes

LA Times: In Threat to Public Health, Florida Publishes Flawed and Unscientific Anti-vaccine ‘Study’

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

Florida Covid Response: Who Is Eligible for a Covid-19 Vaccine

FDoH: Covid-19 Vaccines in Florida

McClatchy: Congressional Panel Demands DeSantis Briefing on COVID Vaccines for Kids by End of Month

FDA: FDA Roundup July 8, 2022

FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Emergency Use of Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted

Tampa Bay Times: Ladapo Tells Congress that Florida Decision Could Limit Kids’ Vaccine Access

Florida Politics: Doctor Ousted from Florida Children’s Health Board Over Vaccine Views

MMWR: Hospitalization of Infants and Children Aged 0–4 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19—COVID-NET, 14 States, March 2020–February 2022

MMWR: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Safety Among Children Aged 6 Months–5 Years—United States, June 18, 2022–August 21, 2022

These points are a summary of the data in the rest of this post:

Florida Covid Deaths:

As of 10-20-22, the state has reported 82,176 Covid deaths among permanent FL residents to the CDC.
There were 266 deaths among permanent residents reported during October 14–20, 2022.
The state is claiming only 14% of them as “New Deaths” (38).
On 6-6-22, a report from the Florida Auditor General revealed the state omitted 3,000 Covid deaths from official reporting during March–October 2020.
The state says having Covid listed on a death certificate is not sufficient reason to count the death as Covid-related, so they will not be added to the Cumulative Deaths.
On June 4, 2021, the state removed 744 deaths among non-permanent residents and stopped reporting them.
During June 2021–September 2022, Florida reported only 7,790 of the 46,127 Covid deaths among permanent residents as “New Deaths” (17%).
1,502 permanent Florida residents died from Covid in September 2022, an 18% decrease from August (1,845). Only 95 were counted as “New Deaths” (6%).
Due to Florida reporting to the CDC with data through Thursday and the CDC reporting on Wednesdays, some county-level death reporting is identical to what I posted from 10-13-22.
On 10-13-22, Miami-Dade reported 10 deaths (-73%); Broward had 17 (+31%); Palm Beach County had 15 (-46%). Orange—where Disney is located—had 13 (+33%); and Hillsborough had 16 (+129%).
FL has 9.5% of US deaths when vaccinations were available to all 16+, for 6.6% of the US population.
59% of Florida’s Covid deaths have occurred since everyone 16+ became eligible for vaccination, with a 46% higher risk of death than those in the rest of the US. Before then, a permanent Florida resident was 8% less likely to die.
During October 14–20, 2022, 9.4% of all Covid death reports in the US came from Florida. Per capita, there were 144 Florida deaths for every 100 US deaths elsewhere.
For August 18–25, 475 permanent Florida residents died per 100 in the rest of the US; for September 2–8, it was 399.
I cannot determine Florida’s per capita death ranking due to the lag in CDC data.
As of 10-13-22, permanent Florida residents aged 80+ rank 10^thbest among the 50 states and Washington DC, with 22% fewer deaths than the national average for that age group.
As of 10-13-22, 64 Floridians <15 have died from Covid.
As of 10-13-22, 21 children under 1 year old have died, with 1 that week. Without small states with one death, FL ranks 9^th worst. Infants fared 1% better than the national average.
Removing small states with 1 death as of 10-13-22, makes Florida the 3^rd worst for ages 1–4, with 12 deaths. The state has 6% more deaths in that age group than expected.
Without small states with 1 death, children 5–14 ranked 7^th in the nation as of 10-13-22, with 31 deaths, 28% worse than anticipated.
As of 10-13-22, people aged 15–24 are the demographic with the worst Mortality Rate Ratio, 34% higher than the national average, with 220 deaths.
Since the pandemic began until 10-20-22, 5.9% of Florida seniors with a + test died from Covid (6.1% nationwide).
During October 7–20, 2022, 86.3% of all deaths among permanent Florida residents were among senior citizens.
As of 10-20-22, 1.3% of all permanent Florida residents who are 65+ had died from Covid. The state reported a decrease in that statistic in the 7-28-22 report, although the size of that demographic group remained the same. That is impossible.
FL does not report Covid deaths stratified by vaccination status. However, deaths roughly correspond to booster percentages by demographic group.
CA has 80% more people than Florida yet almost the same number of excess deaths.
Maine has an older population, but its death rate (195) was about half of what Florida’s was a week ago (381).
Among the 6 largest states, the Florida death rate is the worst. In August, we passed PA.
During May–August 2022, Florida’s death rate was 3x higher than for other large states; 3x higher than the 10 hottest states; and 3x higher than the other 10 oldest states.
Using my calculated death rate, Florida ranks 7^th in per capita deaths for the last 7 days.

FL Covid Vaccinations:

On 10-20-22, a CDC committee unanimously voted to add Covid vaccination to the recommended pediatric immunization schedule. It is not a government mandate but will enable children without health insurance to access the vaccines more easily.
An analysis released by the Florida Department of Health recommending against vaccination for young men contains serious flaws admitted by the anonymous author(s).
The risk of developing a more severe kind of myocarditis from a Covid infection vs. the milder vaccine-induced type among males is 4:1 for ages 5–11, 3:1 for ages 12–17, 6:1 for ages 18–29, and 11:1 for ages 30+.
As of 10-13-22, Florida’s death rate for people aged 15–24 was 34% worse than the national average (220).
On 8-31-22, the FDA granted Emergency Use Authorizations to Moderna and Pfizer for omicron-specific boosters.
On 10-12-22, the CDC expanded omicron-specific booster availability to ages 5+ for Pfizer and 6+ for Moderna for everyone who has completed a primary series.
The CDC recommends a booster two months after previous Covid vaccination or three months after infection.
People who should receive the older mRNA versions are those without two shots of an mRNA vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
On 7-13-22, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Novavax in adults. Novavax received an EUA for teens on 8-22-22. That vaccine employs older technology which some people who have resisted vaccination to this point may find acceptable.
On 7-8-22, the FDA upgraded the status for the Pfizer vaccine in ages 12–17 from an Emergency Use Authorization to full approval.
On 6-17-22, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children as young as 6 months old. The CDC recommended them a day later.
The main FL Dept of Heath Covid website continues to claim the FDA recommends vaccination for those 12+, not 6 months+. Meanwhile, the Latest Updates page correctly cites it as 6 months+. The 10-20-22 official report says it is 5+.
Florida was the only state which failed to preorder doses for the youngest children, a move Governor DeSantis and the Department of Health spokesman said was deliberate.
Despite claiming health care providers could order doses directly, they were unable to do so for several days.
Within an hour of receiving a demand for an explanation from a bipartisan Congressional committee, the state began enabling healthcare providers to order the vaccines.
On 6-28-22, Dr. Ladapo testified to Congress that 33,000 young children are unlikely to access vaccination due to the ban on county health departments providing them.
I recommend using the Vaccines.gov site to locate a participating pharmacy. Young children can receive Covid vaccines at the same time as routine immunizations.
Publix has announced they will not vaccinate children under 5, although they were the first in the state to receive adult dosages.
On 6-30-22, the president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics was removed from the board of FL Healthy Kids for disagreeing with the DeSantis administration about the necessity of vaccination.
As of 10-20-22, 2.8% of permanent Florida residents aged 6 months–4 years had received their first shot. Nationwide, 9% of children <5 received a Covid shot by 10-12-22.
Among 1,040,000 children under 5 who received vaccination, symptoms were like those from routine childhood immunizations. No cases of myocarditis occurred. Only 19 experienced severe reactions. 0.0002% were hospitalized due to vaccination.
For those <6 months, having a mother who received 2 doses while pregnant reduced hospitalizations by 38% during omicron and 80% during delta.
Even with a mild infection, severe damage to the placenta can occur, resulting in early delivery or fetal death.
During 2021, Covid infections contributed to one-third of maternal deaths in the US.
Pregnant women who received boosters had 4x the antibodies of those with 2 doses. Their newborns had 2x as many antibodies as their mothers.
On 3-7-22, a discussion panel moderated by Governor DeSantis recommended against Covid vaccination for healthy children due to the risk of adolescent males developing myocarditis. Florida is the only state to make such a declaration.
On 5-27-22, the Special Olympics dropped their vaccine mandate for a national tournament after the state threatened to fine them $27,500,000.
The risk of cardiac inflammation due to Covid is 540% higher for boys aged 5–11 than from vaccination. No girls developed symptoms after vaccination.
Among 400 children hospitalized during the omicron wave, 1 in 3 had no preexisting conditions, 1 in 5 required care in the ICU, and 9 in 10 were unvaccinated.
Children <5 years old in the US had hospitalization rates 5x greater than during delta.
2/3 of children and teens with Covid had a ¼ reduction in lung function for up to a year. 41% of them still had not recovered after 360 days.
6% of children who tested + in ERs had post-Covid health issues 90 days later (10% of those hospitalized and 5% of those discharged). The risk rose with more symptoms and age 14+. Respiratory, systemic, neurological, and gastrointestinal issues were common.
Since August 2020, 16,067 minors have required hospitalization for Covid in Florida, with 49 of those in the last week.
During August 2022 in the US, unvaccinated children aged 5–11 were 66% more likely to need hospital admission than their peers with a vaccine primary series. Vaccination prevented 40% of hospitalizations in that age group.
Unvaccinated teens (12–17) were 238% more likely to require inpatient hospital care than boosted teens. A booster prevented 70% of hospitalizations in those adolescents.
As of 10-20-22, only 25% of Floridians aged 5–11 had at least one shot; 64% of adolescents did.
On 6-30-22, the state claimed a 7% rise in vaccinated teens with new 10,500 doses, not a 0.5% rise.
On 10-20-22, Florida claimed a 72% vaccination rate. This includes anyone with at least one shot, over 600,000 snowbirds, and “vaccine tourists,” which is how Miami-Dade has a 99% vaccination rate. The state report inexplicably claims to exclude children under 5 and include those 6 months–1 year old.
CDC data shows 69% of people in Florida had at least completed a primary vaccine series by October 20^th. They include 840,000 federal personnel whom the state does not count. Using state data, my calculation is 62%.
In the June 30^th and June 16^threports, there is an increase of 500,000 people who had received at least one shot by the same date (June 16^th). The FL DoH spokesman refused to explain the discrepancy.
Even in mild cases, Covid can accelerate aging of the brain, kidneys, and heart.
Long Covid, heart attacks, and ischemic strokes occur 1/3 less often in vaccinated people. Vaccination after infection can also reduce or eliminate Long Covid symptoms.
6% of people with symptomatic infection experienced Long Covid symptoms 3 months later. Of those, 15% had still not recovered after one year.
28% had booster shots by 10-20-22, an important precaution against severe illness and transmission of the omicron variants.
During July 2022, boosters prevented 72% of omicron hospitalizations among people in the US aged 18–49; 86% for ages 50–64; and 82% for senior citizens.
Through April 2022, unvaccinated people were 10.5 times more likely to need hospitalization than boosted individuals. Those with only a primary series were 2.5 times more likely to be admitted. Boosted people who did need hospital care were significantly older or were medically fragile.
Booster protection against hospitalization begins waning significantly after 100 days.
Compared to people with boosters during August 28–September 3, 2022, unvaccinated people aged 18–29 were as likely to die (0.01 vs. 0.01); it was 5x for 30–49; 7.9x for ages 50–64; 9x for ages 65–79; and 4.1x for people over 80.
During the initial omicron wave in Israel, a second booster prevented 64% of hospitalizations and 72% of Covid deaths among nursing home residents compared to those who received only a first booster.
As of 10-20-22, only 7% of Florida’s population had 2 boosters.
In the US during August 28–September 3, 2022, 2 boosters prevented 91% of deaths; 1 booster prevented 61%; and a primary series prevented 52%.
A 2^nd booster of the original vaccines is much less effective at preventing infections. For people 50+ during September 18–24, having at least 2 boosters prevented 67% of infections; 1 booster prevented 49%; and a primary series prevented 79% compared to the rate in unvaccinated people. This was prior to the booster formulated against BA.4 and BA.5.
Mixing booster vaccine types will give you the best protection: they stimulate different parts of your immune system. In a recent study, people who got both were less likely to need hospital care. If you had 2 or 3 Moderna, I recommend getting a Pfizer and vice versa.
Lab tests compared the older Moderna vaccine with the one specific for omicron. Antibodies in those with and without previous infection were significantly higher with the newer formula. Side effects were similar.
Medicare will cover 100% of the cost of an additional booster shot.
The state does not report cases or deaths by vaccination status. However, vaccination rates tend to parallel the death rates for each age group.
On 1-14-22, the governor refused to enforce the federal mandate for healthcare workers upheld by the Supreme Court a day earlier.
On 1-19-22, the state put Orange County’s epidemiologist on leave for chiding his employees’ 40% vaccination rate.
On 1-15-22 the governor said many nurses avoid vaccination due to “trying to have families.”
Numerous studies confirm vaccination does not cause infertility. Getting Covid can reduce male fertility.

Florida Covid Cases:

With the rise in at-home testing since the omicron wave began, it is important to know that official confirmed cases are likely to be significantly undercounted.
The state reported 10,111 confirmed cases among permanent Florida residents (+2%).
There have been 7,149,300 confirmed Covid cases in Florida among permanent residents.
On 6-6-22, a report from the Florida Auditor General revealed that 60% of people who tested positive for Covid during March–October 2020, were never notified of their results. That affected at least 183,000 infected individuals.
On June 4, 2021, the state removed all data from anyone who is not a permanent resident and stopped reporting it. This deleted 43,535 cases.
Florida ranked near the worst in the US during May 25^th–August 24^th.
On 10-19-22, Florida’s state rank for confirmed cases improved to 5^th best.
CDC data shows 9 Florida counties have high transmission rates (+4). 16 counties have substantial transmission (-3); 38 have moderate transmission (-1); and 4 have low transmission (no change).
During October 14–20, cases rose in each of the largest counties: Miami-Dade had 1,809 (+2%); Broward had 938 (+4%); Palm Beach had 799 (+15%); and Hillsborough had 592 (+9%). Orange County—where Disney is located—had 592 (+17%).
There were 77 cases in infants <6 months old (+27%). For ages 6 months–4 years, cases increased to 268 (+4%). 256 elementary-aged children tested positive (+21%). Ages 12–19 had 402 positive reports (+19%).
Florida reported -1,235 cases for children <5 during June 17–23, 2022, when the state was preventing their vaccination.
During the 2021–2022 school year, the Hillsborough County School District reported 29,000 cases among students and personnel.
There is not a dashboard for the 2022–2023 school year which began on August 10^th.
Healthcare workers who wore respirator masks like N95s had half the risk of getting Covid compared to those with surgical masks.
Florida law prohibits requiring masks in non-medical settings.
Parents decide about quarantining after a close contact at school.
On 1-31-22, FL shifted its focus to “high congregate settings,” not schools and day cares.
During the week leading up to that announcement 38,629 school-aged children in Florida had tested positive.
On 1-31-22, FL students absent due to Covid exposure are truant per Orange County.

Florida Covid Testing and Prevention:

A report released by the US House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in June 2022 explains Florida’s approach to the pandemic: get as many people infected as quickly as possible to reach herd immunity.
One Trump Administration official wrote, “Infants, kids, teens, young adults, middle aged with no conditions, etc. have zero to little risk…so we use them to develop herd…we want them infected…and recovered…with antibodies.”
Scott Atlas, the chief architect, advised the DeSantis Administration before joining the federal government.
Dr. Joseph Ladapo also promoted this “low testing/no masks/no lockdown” strategy to the White House before becoming the state’s surgeon general.
Dr. Birx wrote an email refusing to meet with the group which included Dr. Ladapo, calling them, “a fringe group without grounding in epidemics, public health, or on the ground common sense experience.”
With omicron reinfection becoming common, we now know that achieving herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is a myth, yet their tactics have not changed.
Dr. Ladapo’s former supervisor at UCLA recommended that Florida NOT hire him, as his views on Covid are not science-based and violate the Hippocratic Oath to “Do no harm.”
Additive damage occurs to numerous organ systems with each Covid infection.
Due to at-home testing, the number of cases is likely to be under-reported.
The CDC advises notifying your doctor of positive at-home tests.
Public health officials recommend maintaining a positivity rate <5% for 2 weeks before reopening.
Florida crossed the 5% threshold during April 9–21, 2022.
Since I began using data directly from the CDC, there has been a pattern of the state underreporting the positivity rate in the Florida Department of Health reports by about two percentage points.
Florida reported a 7.1% positivity rate. This is a 6% rise.
CDC positivity data using information from the state is no longer available, so I cannot calculate the number of cases based upon the positivity rate.
40 of Florida’s 64 counties which reported data are above the 5% threshold; 6 of them are above 10%.
Orange County, where Disney is located, reported that 7.96% of tests were positive.
Of the 30 counties with decreased positivity (-8), 15 fell by at least 2 full percentage points (+5).
34 counties reported increases, with 10 of them by at least 2 percentage points (+2). Counties with large positivity increases are scattered throughout the state.
On 12-30-21, when it was virtually impossible to find an at-home test,FL’s Agriculture Secretary revealed 1,000,000 expired antigen tests.
On 1-4-22, Dr. Ladapo decried the “testing psychology” in Florida to identify all cases.
On 1-8-22, FL’s web site told those not at high risk of severe cases to avoid testing.
On 1-9-22, the governor announced 1,000,000 tests for long-term care and nursing homes.
On 2-7-22, the state reprimanded two companies which failed to report 230,000 test results from December and January until that week.
On 3-2-22 Governor DeSantis chided a group of teens in a county with a high alert level and told them to remove their face masks. He then used that episode to raise campaign funds. Under those conditions, the CDC recommends that everyone wear masks indoors.
On 3-31-22, a UF faculty committee revealed discrepancies in the surgeon general’s hiring as a tenured professor.

Florida Covid Treatment:

Omicron mutations render ineffective almost all monoclonal antibodies previously in use.
100% of US cases are due to those viral strains.
For the week ending January 8^th, 97% of sequenced cases in the region which includes Florida were omicron.
Only Sotrovimab worked against the omicron BA.1 variant.
During the first week of January, Florida used 140 of its 4,400 Sotrovimab doses and 2,700 of Regeneron.
On 1-18-22, FL opened more infusion centers to distribute 15,000 doses of Regeneron.
The FDA revised its EUA for Regeneron on 1-24-22, prohibiting its use against omicron.
DeSantis objected to no shipments; all FL antibody infusion centers closed on 1-25-22.
Nevertheless, Florida administered over 37,500 doses after that date. Monoclonal antibodies can produce severe side effects.
Sotrovimab was 27 times less effective for omicron BA.2 and ineffective for newer subvariants.
During April 3–9, 2022, the percentage of BA.2 increased from 80% to 91% in the region which includes Florida (71.7% BA.2 and 19.3% of the newer BA.2.12.1).
On 4-5-22, the FDA revoked the Emergency Use Authorization for Sotrovimab nationwide due to the predominance of BA.2 in every state.
The Florida Department of Health Covid website prominently featured a complaint about the FDA revoking the EUAs until at least 7-25-22.
On 10-22-22, sequenced samples in the region which includes Florida were BA.4.6 (16%), BA.5 (63%), BF.7 (7%), BQ.1 (5%), or BQ.1.1 (5%). BA.2.75 and BA.2.75.2 were each at 1%. BA.4 has disappeared.
While effective against other omicron subvariants, a monoclonal antibody called bebtelovimab fails to neutralize BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 (10% total in Florida’s region).
It began shipping to Florida during February 14–20. The federal government delivered its final shipment of bebtelovimab on 9-4-22.
Here is the most recent weekly federal allocation of 7,585 Covid-specific treatments to Florida: 6,520 of the oral Paxlovid; 1,065 of the less-effective oral Molnupiravir, and none of the pre-exposure Evusheld.
As of 10-16-22, Florida patients had used 68% of the state’s cumulative Paxlovid deliveries (no change); 22% of the Legevrio (Molnupiravir) (no change); 63% of the Bebtelovimab (no change); and 52% of the Evusheld (+2%).
The FDA has authorized pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid since treatment must begin within 5 days of symptoms developing.
Paxlovid seems to remain effective against BQ.1 and BQ.1.1.
On 12-8-21, the FDA issued an Evusheld EUA for those with severe immunosuppression.
People with certain cancers or organ transplants receive the highest priority.
Governor DeSantis announced it on 12-17-21, when Covid was raging through Miami-Dade County.
First shipments only to a small private fee-based clinic in Broward County on 12-24-21.
People flew from out of state to receive it at the iCare Clinic.
The large transplant hospital in Miami received it four weeks later.
During Jan 24–30, 2022 the federal government sent 32,000 outpatient treatments.
Evusheld requires a much higher dosage against omicron BA.2.75, BA.4, and BA.5, which account for 65% of cases in Florida’s region.
Unfortunately, Evusheld is ineffective for 34% of subvariants in our region (BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, BF.7, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1).
On 6-29-22, the FDA increased the dosage and recommended getting the shots every 6 months.
On 10-3-22, Florida received a monthly allocation of 12,360 doses of pre-exposure Evusheld for severely immunocompromised people.

Florida Covid Hospitalizations:

Since 6-4-21, Florida’s Covid Reports have omitted all hospitalization information.
Florida must relay all hospitalization data to the US Dept of Health and Human Services.
For August 1, 2020–October 20, 2022, Florida has had 496,775 new hospital admissions for Covid patients. This represents 9.1% of all Covid admissions for 6.6% of the US population.
During October 14–20, 2022, there was an average of 169 admissions per day, a total of 1,210 (-13%).
This is 92% fewer than a record 13,028 hospitalizations on 8-24-21.
On October 20^th, there were 0.80 new admissions/100,000 Floridians; 0.90 one week earlier.
Admissions for most demographic groups fell. The amount of change for adults ranged from -32% (ages 18–29) to 0% (40–49). Pediatric admissions fell by 5%.
49 children were admitted to FL hospitals in the last week.
Compared to delta, omicron admissions are higher for younger than 30 and older than 69.
Since everyone 16+ became eligible for vaccination on April 1, 2021, Florida admissions are 58% higher than in the rest of the US.
For October 14–20, the Florida admissions rate was 23% lower than elsewhere in the US. Per capita, there were 77 admissions in Florida for every 100 admissions elsewhere in the US. This has dropped sharply. For the week ending on 9-8-22, there were 235.
On 10-20-22, Florida improved to 18^th best in the nation for adult Covid admissions.
During June 2–August 16, 2022, there were only 4 days that the state did not rank last.
Florida’s adult hospitalizations improved to 22^nd best. ICU patients remained almost the same at 26^th best.
After a huge leap from 3^rd worst to 21^st best 2 weeks ago, pediatric admissions worsened to 29^th best. Pediatric hospitalizations are 25^th best, down from 18^th a week earlier.
Since April 20, 2022, Florida’s pediatric admissions have ranked better than 3^rdworst in only 6 weekly snapshots.
When Florida officials refused to preorder vaccines for young children, the state was the 2^nd worst in the US for pediatric admissions.
Children <5 years old were 5x as likely to need hospital care during the first omicron wave than during delta.
On 10-19-22, Orange County—where Disney is located—had 61 new hospital admissions in the last 7 days (-23%).
Miami-Dade had 148 (-11%); Broward had 107 (-11%); Palm Beach had 69 (-33%); and Hillsborough had 106 (+4%).
Largest increases were in the Panhandle and where Hurricane Ian hit hardest in the Southwest. 13 counties had large increases.
On 10-20-22, 78% of hospital beds in Florida were full (no change); 2.8% used by Covid patients (no change). Covid patients accounted for 1,480 hospital beds (-3%).
On 10-20-22, 3% of ICU beds were used by 178 Covid patients (+25%).
Overall, 74% of ICU beds were occupied (-1%). 12% of hospitalized Covid patients were in the ICU.

Transmission and Current Variant Information:

Nine of Florida’s 67 counties have high transmission (+4 since a week earlier); 16 have substantial transmission (-3); 38 have moderate transmission (-1); and 4 have low transmission (no change):

On October 19^th, the CDC deemed most of Florida as in the “low or resolving high/moderate burden” category.

Orange County—where Disney is located—has shift to an Emerging Hotspot:

CDC: Community Transmission in Florida

CDC: COVID-19 Community Profile Report

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

People who were previously infected with omicron BA.1 or BA.2 are susceptible to reinfection from the newer subvariants omicron BA.275, BA.4 and omicron BA.5. This very likely includes the sub lineages which descended from them: BA4.6 and BF.7.

The newest subvariants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 can infect those who have recovered from their ancestor, BA.5:

These newer strains replicate in people’s nasal passages, tending to result in less severe illness. Serious cases are rare but do occur, especially in unvaccinated individuals.

The early omicron variants triggered long Covid in 4% of people, compared to 10% of those infected with the delta variant.

Overall, 6% of people with symptomatic infection still experienced long Covid symptoms 3 months later. Of those, 15% had still not recovered after one year.

A new review of research reveals that Long Covid accelerates the aging of multiple organs, including the brain, heart, and kidneys.

NEJM: Neutralization Escape by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5

MedPage: Omicron BA.4 and BA.5: Starting from Scratch Yet Again—Here’s What We Know and What We Still Need to Find Out

CDC: Variant Proportions

Ars Technica: BA.5 Is Finally Fading—Sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Rise from Variant Stew

MedRxiv: Imprinted SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immunity Induces Convergent Omicron RBD Evolution

Lancet: Risk of Long COVID Associated with Delta versus Omicron Variants of SARS-CoV-2

MedPage: Long COVID Persists in People with Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Becker’s Hospital Review: COVID-19 Ages Organs, Compilation of Studies Finds

Laboratory evidence on serum samples corroborates evidence of increased susceptibility to reinfection with BA.4, and BA.5 for people who had breakthrough infections due to the omicron BA.1 variant.

Three doses of the original vaccines are also significantly less protective when compared to earlier omicron subvariants.

We do not yet know how much protection the new formulas give against BQ.1 and BQ.1.1.

These charts are on logarithmic scales, so the declines are larger than they appear until you see the lower dilution number required to neutralize the viruses:

Subsequent research indicates that infection with the BA.2 subvariant also fails to confer immunity against BA.4 and BA.5.

MedR_xiv: Omicron Sub-Lineages BA.4/BA.5 Escape BA.1 Infection-Elicited Neutralizing Immunity

Nature: BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 Escape Antibodies Elicited by Omicron Infection

Ars Technica: BA.5 Is Finally Fading—Sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Rise from Variant Stew

DPZ: Emerging Omicron Subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5 are Inhibited Less Efficiently by Antibodies

For the week ending on October 22, 2022, sequenced samples in the region which includes Florida were BA.4.6 (16%), BA.5 (63%), BF.7 (7%), BQ.1 (5%), or BQ.1.1 (5%). BA.2.75 and BA.2.75.2 were each at 1%. BA.4 has disappeared.

That means that the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection which is spreading in the state cannot be completely prevented by the original vaccine formulations or by an infection which occurred before late March 2022.

Having had BA.5 does not fully protect against BQ.1 or BQ.1.1. The new bivalent mRNA booster vaccines developed to respond to BA.5 are expected to remain effective against severe disease:

CDC: Variant Proportions

Ars Technica: BA.5 Is Finally Fading—Sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Rise from Variant Stew

Becker’s Hospital Review: Where BQ.1 Is Most Prevalent: 5 Notes on the New COVID-19 Variant

A preprint study of veterans in the US reveals additive damage to numerous organ systems as the number of Covid infections increases in each patient. Reinfection is something to avoid:

American Heart Assn: Rethink What You Thought You Knew about COVID-19 Reinfection

Tyee: “I’m Dropping My COVID Hubris,” Vows a Top Immunologist: After the Virus Harmed Chris Goodnow’s Heart, He Joined a Growing Chorus Against Reinfection Complacency

Research Square: Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection

Florida Covid Reporting:

Until June 2021, Florida reported Covid statistics every day with an online database.

Weeks before the delta variant took hold in the state with devastating effects, the Department of Health switched to a weekly pdf while withholding data previously available to the public.

Now Florida is halving the frequency of reports to the public to every two weeks. The state is directing people to the CDC, where there is an information lag. This is from October 22^nd:

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Limits COVID Data to Every 2 Weeks, State Says Via Meme: Department of Health Officials Announced the Change Via Twitter, Using Vince McMahon and Cat Memes

Palm Beach Post: Florida to Update COVID-19 Data Less Frequently than All Other States

Florida Covid-19 Response

I heartily disagree with this official announcement made from the Florida Department of Health retweeting their spokesman’s personal Twitter account on March 11, 2022. We need more information, not less.

Unfortunately, the tactic works. Floridians tend to express shock when I tell them about recent statistics:

Florida Covid-19 Response

March 17, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What is Really Happening?

Now that the CDC is releasing data only once a week—on Fridays—the agency is reporting Florida statistics from almost a week earlier as the current 7-day results.

For example, the most recent county-level data available for deaths and cases is identical to what I posted in the October 13^th report.

As a result, I am very likely to drop the frequency of these reports to every two weeks.

CDC: Florida Reported Deaths by County

CDC: Florida Reported Cases by County

Dr. Jason Salemi from the University of South Florida was compiling some data from the CDC during weeks when the state did not issue an official report.

Even before his hard drive crashed after April 24^th, he did not have direct access to the Florida data. His rebuilt site is omitting data derived from the Florida Department of Health reports:

May 19, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Salemi USF: COVID-19 in Florida

Beginning in June 2021, Florida removed all archived Covid data from their web site.

Until March 17, 2022, they replaced the statistics from the previous week with a new report.

Now that occurs every two weeks. That makes it much more difficult—even for those who have saved the old data—to see the actual numbers of cases and deaths. The state does not include hospitalization information.

On the Florida Department of Health web site, you can locate influenza records from 2001 but no comprehensive Covid data from earlier than September 30, 2022.

T B T : W h y D o e s n ‘t F l o r i d a T r u s t I t s R e s i d e n t s with Basic COVID Information?

Florida Covid-19 Response

Florida Influenza Surveillance Reports 2001–2022

Barriers to Research and Reporting:

On October 18, 2021, I followed the Dept of Health’s recommendation to contact their COVID Data Analytics section, then went outside.

When I returned, I had to do a major recovery process following an unauthorized attempt to access my hard drive. I still have not received a response from the FL COVID Data Analytics group.

Even the main site for the Florida Dept of Health appears on an unsecure connection: www.floridahealth.gov.

For a few weeks in the spring, my computer downloaded the official Florida Covid report. Then it again refused to open the file, citing a security risk.

Dr. Salemi has resumed posting a link to each report, which is how I safely access it:

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

Florida Covid-19 Response

Salemi USF: COVID-19 in Florida

Faculty at the University of Florida charge that they have felt external pressure from the highest levels of state government to delete data related to their Covid research.

They also encountered “barriers to accessing and analyzing” data and “barriers to publication of scientific research which inhibited the ability of faculty to contribute scientific findings during a world-wide pandemic.”

On January 21, 2022, a federal judge sided with the plaintiffs in a 74-page ruling. He asserted the University of Florida was “willing to suffer threats to its accreditation, congressional inquiries, unrelenting bad press, an all-but-certain hit to its rankings, and the substantial monetary cost of hiring an experienced D.C. firm to defend its policy. The only thing UF will not do, it seems, is amend its policy to make clear that it will never consider viewpoint in denying a request to testify.” As in The Emperor’s New Clothes, the emperor’s lords, “fearing the loss of their jobs and the Emperor’s good grace, enabled the charade by praising the Emperor’s fine suit.”

The Hill: University of Florida Initiates Investigation into Alleged Destruction of COVID-19 Research Data

Tampa Bay Times: Federal Judge Orders Injunction to UF’s Conflict of Interest Policy

On March 31, 2022, a University of Florida faculty committee released a report charging that the university violated its own practices when hiring Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general to a tenured position.

Required faculty input regarding his application was due on September 17, 2021.

However, Dr. Ladapo was informed he had the appointment on September 16^th.

After receiving the letter with an October 1, 2021, start date, Dr. Ladapo changed it to September 20^th, just prior to the news conference where the governor announced him as our new surgeon general:

In response to a reporter’s questions, Jeremy Redfern, the Florida Department of Health spokesman, sent an email stating, “The time of those at the University of Florida writing 100-page reports regarding hiring practices would be better spent working on important issues like research and curing cancer.”

Tampa Bay Times: Joseph Ladapo Hiring Violated UF Procedures, Faculty Report Says: Some Faculty Felt Ladapo, Florida’s Surgeon General, Was the Subject of “Preferential Treatment on the Basis of His Political Opinions”

A Snapshot of Florida Statistics:

Here is some of the data for October 14–October 20, 2022, from the Florida Department of Health report.

Percentages of people who completed a vaccine series or received a booster shot are based upon the total population of permanent Florida residents:

New cases = 10,111; Cumulative cases = 7,149,300
Positivity rate = 7.1%
New deaths = 38 [really 266]; Cumulative deaths = 82,176
Vaccination rate = 72% of the population has at least one dose
Fully vaccinated people minus those with booster shots: 7,794,383 (35%)
People with at least one booster dose: 6,053,075 (27%)

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

Here is some of the data from October 7–September 13, 2022, which the state submitted to the CDC.

Cumulative numbers are derived from adding the new CDC information to the October 6^th Florida Department of Health report. The corrected vaccination rate is based upon the number vaccinated from the CDC and the Florida Department of Health’s population size. Positivity data reflects the average for the week as reported to the CDC:

New cases = 10,261; Cumulative cases = 7,139,506
Positivity rate = 6.68%
New deaths = 38 [really 249]; Cumulative deaths = 81,910
Vaccination rate = 81% of the population has at least one dose
Fully vaccinated people minus those with booster shots: 8,426,135 (38%)
People with at least one booster dose: 6,302,642 (28%)

CDC: Integrated County View Florida

CDC: Florida Daily Covid Testing

Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State

Salemi USF: COVID-19 in Florida

Covid Community Levels:

On February 25, 2022, the CDC updated their masking guidelines based heavily upon Covid hospital admissions and utilization and, to a lesser extent, upon the number of new cases in a county.

It does not reflect the level of transmission.

They range from low (green) through medium (yellow) to high risk (orange). Rural areas without hospital services may look better than they are. You can click on the hyperlink below this for more specific information and the interactive map.

This is the situation in Florida as of October 20, 2022. None of our counties are at the highest level (no change); 13 are at the medium level (+3); and 54 are low (-3):

In areas of high alert, the CDC advises everyone to wear a high-quality tight-fitting mask indoors. Please note that relaxed masking guidelines in green areas do not apply to severely immunocompromised people.

CDC: COVID-19 Community Levels

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Here is the map for the same date based upon the level of Community Transmission:

CDC: Community Transmission in US

On March 2, 2022, Governor DeSantis visited Hillsborough County. As he approached a group of masked high school students, he said, “You do not have to wear those masks. I mean, please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything and we’ve gotta stop with this COVID theater. So, if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.” He then used that outburst to raise campaign funds.

WFLA: ‘This Is Ridiculous’: DeSantis Scolds Students for Wearing Face Masks During USF Visit

The Hill: DeSantis Fundraises off Video of Him Chiding Students for Wearing Masks

Hillsborough County had a high alert level for Covid before and after that date:

Feb 25, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

March 3, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Covid Deaths in Florida:

On June 6, 2022, a report from the Florida Auditor General revealed that the state omitted approximately 3,000 Covid deaths from official reporting during March–October 2020.

The Tampa Bay Times article includes a link to the audit.

Those deaths are still not reflected in the official state report or in the chart below.

The Department of Health responded that having Covid listed on a death certificate is not sufficient to count that as a Covid death, so the state will not amend the cumulative death statistic.

Tampa Bay Times: Florida’s Health Department Undercounted COVID Cases and Deaths, State Audit Says

Palm Beach Post: Florida Leads Nation in New COVID Deaths, CDC Data Shows

During June 2021–September 2022, Florida reported only 7,790 of the 47,539 Covid deaths among permanent residents as “New Deaths” (16%).

In September 2022, cumulative data indicated there were 1,502 Covid deaths among permanent Florida residents, an 18% decrease from July (1,845). Only 95 were counted as “New Deaths” (6%):

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

Despite making national news for the state government’s attempt to cover up the number of deaths, nothing has changed in the Florida Department of Health’s methodology.

The Hill: Florida Reported ‘Artificial Decline’ in COVID-19 Deaths as Cases Were Surging

On June 4, 2021, the state removed all data from anyone who has not established permanent residency. It stopped reporting information from visitors, seasonal residents, and migrant workers. This deleted 744 deaths.

I can no longer access this file, as my browser deems it a security risk. Learning about this was what motivated me to begin writing these posts:

FL Covid-19 Cases and Monitoring as of June 3, 2021

When the state receives a report of a death from an earlier week, that information is added to “Cumulative Deaths” without being noted in “Previous Week Deaths.”

It usually takes more than one week for death reports to get sent to the state.

Florida Politics: Florida Reports 1000+ Covid-19 Deaths in Past Week

October 13^th cumulative data from the CDC showed 81,910 deaths, while October 20^th cumulative data from the state indicated 82,176 permanent Florida residents had died. Therefore, there were 266 Covid deaths reported in Florida during October 14–20, 2022.

A week earlier, there were 249, so that is an increase of 7%. Only 38 were counted as new deaths (14%):

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State

Now that the CDC is issuing reports once a week through each Wednesday and Florida is reporting to them on Thursdays, there is a one-week lag in CDC data.

For example, when I access the CDC’s Florida Reported Deaths by County and the Percent Change in Florida Deaths from Previous 7 Days, all the numbers are identical to what I reported last week.

Nevertheless, the date listed for that information is October 19^th, not October 13^th.

I have contacted the CDC about this issue.

Clicking on individual counties reveals a higher number than the state’s “new deaths” total.

During October 7–13, Miami-Dade County reported 10 deaths (-73%); Broward had 17 (+31%); Palm Beach County had 15 (-46%); Orange—where Disney is located—had 13 (+33%); and Hillsborough had 16 (+129%).

Twenty-two counties reported 0 deaths. That often means they failed to report this week:

CDC: Florida Reported Deaths by County

All this information is from October 7–13, 2022.

Compared to the previous week, the CDC indicates that 10 of the 67 counties failed to report data. Another 8 showed drops of 100%, which often means they did not report data. Seventeen had increases of at least 25%:

CDC: Percent Change in Florida Deaths from Previous 7 Days

According to Florida Department of Health data, there had been 82,176 Covid deaths in Florida by October 20, 2022. Florida residents at least sixteen years old became eligible for vaccination on April 1, 2021.

Until then, permanent Florida residents were 8% less likely to die from Covid than other people in the US.

Please note that I am comparing Florida data through October 20^th with US data through October 19^th plus the number of new deaths in Florida. I determined this by subtracting the October 13^th Cumulative Deaths from the October 20^th Cumulative Deaths.

Deaths reported on October 20^th alone elsewhere in the US will not be counted until my next report.

SARS-CoV-2 infections have killed 48,758 permanent residents of the state sinceApril 1, 2021. Over half the Covid deaths in Florida have occurred since that date (59%).

Despite having only 6.6% of the US population, this represents 9.5% of all American Covid-19 deaths since everyone at least 16 years old qualified for vaccination.

That means permanent Florida residents were 46% more likely to die than people living in the rest of the US.

During October 14–20, 2022, 9.4% of all Covid deaths reports in the US came from Florida (266).

Compared to other people in the US (2,566), a permanent Florida resident was 44% more likely to die from Covid.

Per capita, there were 144 deaths in Florida for every 100 deaths elsewhere in the US.

That is a major improvement from my reports during August 18–25 (475 FL/100 US) and September 2–8 (399 FL/100 US):

Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Florida vs. the Rest of the US Before and After 16+ Vaccination and During October 14–20

These graphics illustrate the weekly deaths in Florida vs. the entire US:

CDC: Weekly Trends in Number of COVID-19 Deaths in Florida Reported to CDC

CDC: Weekly Trends in Number of COVID-19 Deaths in the US Reported to CDC

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Sept 8, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Aug 25, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

In the aftermath of his hard drive crashing, Dr. Salemi made some impressive upgrades to his site.

Now that the CDC is issuing reports once a week through each Wednesday and Florida is reporting to them on Thursdays, there is a one-week lag in CDC data.

In addition, the CDC is changing some of the underlying data reporting. That is why he has not been able to update since October 18^th.

Why is an epidemiologist employed by the state not receiving funding or time to keep Floridians updated on this critical information?

Here is Florida’s ranking of Covid deaths stratified by age as of October 13, 2022.

A Mortality Rate Ratio = 1 is the national average, so infants under one year old and senior citizens are the only age groups which had fared better than expected.

Permanent Florida residents aged 85+ ranked 10^thbest among the 50 states and Washington DC, with 22% fewer deaths than the national average for that age group.

Twenty-one Floridians under 1 year old had died, with 1 in that last week. Some of them may have fallen within new vaccination eligibility criteria. Infants fared 1% better than the national average and ranked 11^th.

Florida had the 9^thworst death rate in the nation for ages 1–4 with 12 deaths, 6% more than expected. Children 5–14 ranked 7^thwith 31 deaths and a mortality rate 28% worse than expected.

People aged 15–24 had died at a rate 34% higher than the national average, ranking at 9^th worst.

When I remove smaller states with higher ranks but only one death, Florida’s rankings changed to 9^th worst for <1; 3^rdworst for 1–4; and 6^th worst for 5–14:

By dividing Maine’s population for each age group by Florida’s, we can see the two states have very similar demographics. People in Maine and Florida have fared quite differently:

Salemi USF: Covid Deaths by State

As of October 19^th, 6.1% of senior citizens who have tested positive in the US have died.

According to the October 20, 2022, report, Florida seniors had a 5.9% case-fatality rate.

In all, the state reported that 1.321.4% of permanent Florida residents 64+ have died from Covid:

Note that the data for 2022 alone is one month behind, while the cumulative data is current. This makes what has happened recently look better than it really is.

Calculating for each demographic group gives me 517 deaths, not the 515 difference for all ages:

Comparing the last two reports taken over three weeks, we can see the number and percentage of deaths in each demographic group which were reported during October 6–October 20, 2022:

Under 16 = 1 (0.2%)
16–29 = 1 (0.2%)
30–39 = 3 (0.6%)
40–49 = 8 (1.5%)
50–59 = 23 (4.4%)
60–64 = 35 (6.8%)
65+ = 446 (86.3%) 517 100%

CDC: Demographic Trends of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

Oct 6, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Looking at the 7-14-22 report, the mortality rate/100,000 senior citizens was 1265.5:

The mortality rate declined in the July 28, 2022, report below to 1236.7. That is a number which can only grow, since the population sizes are identical in each report:

July 14, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Salemi USF: COVID-19 in Florida

Florida does not report deaths by vaccination status, so I cannot determine the percentage of deaths occurring in unvaccinated people, those who received a full series, or boosted individuals.

The CDC recently updated their algorithm for calculating excess deaths in the US to include six years of data, rather than four, due to the pandemic skewing the expected numbers.

This accounts for the higher than typical age of Florida’s population. You can click on each bar on their site to see the data for that week. It takes up to eight weeks for complete reporting:

Here is another way to visualize that information. You can see all states by clicking Percent Excess Deaths on the CDC’s site:

CDC: Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19

Florida has a higher than expected proportion of excess deaths compared to other states, including at least 17,000 unrelated to Covid by June 28, 2022.

This is the total number of excess deaths throughout the pandemic, not the number per 100,000 people.

California has 80% more people than Florida yet the number of excess deaths is nearly the same:

Tampa Bay Times: Florida’s Preventable Deaths Rose During the Pandemic. It Wasn’t Just COVID

CDC: Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19 by Jurisdiction/Cause

This map of Covid deaths rates from October 22^nd shows that Florida reported 252 deaths for the last 7 days with a total of 81,910.

Due to the CDC reporting on data from Wednesday and Florida from Thursday, these represent deaths from a week ago.

As a result, Florida may be doing worse than what is reflected here. On a positive note, that appears to be the actual number reported, not the number Florida reported as new deaths (38). I had calculated 249 a week ago.

Among the six largest states, Florida ranks first for the highest proportion of Covid deaths. Due to the current wave, we have overtaken Pennsylvania: CA (242); TX (313); FL (381); NY (272); PA (371); IL (314):

CDC: United States COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Laboratory Testing by State and Territory

Florida’s death rate was 3x higher than the other large states during May–August 2022:

Florida’s heat is often blamed for the large numbers of summertime Covid deaths, as people crowd into airconditioned spaces.

An analysis of the other 10 hottest states revealed their combined death rate was 1/3 of Florida’s during May through August 2022:

Florida’s large percentage of elderly people is often cited as the reason for the high mortality rate. In 2020, at least 20% of the populations of 5 states were aged 65+. Florida ranked 2^nd behind Maine:

Maine’s death rate (195) is roughly half of Florida’s from a week ago (381).

Others in the top 11 states with the oldest populations are WV (417); VT (117); DE (322); MT (333); HI (120); NH (200); PA (371); SC (359); and OR (204).

The chart below shows data for only May through August:

PRB: Which States have the Oldest Populations?

CDC: United States COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Laboratory Testing by State and Territory

Tampa Bay Times: Why Are So Many Floridians Still Dying from COVID? How Florida’s Death Rate Compares to Other States, Including California, Texas, and New York

The CDC is reporting on data through Wednesday’s data and the Florida Department of Health is reporting through Thursday, so this is likley a comparison of last week’s death data in Florida to other states this week.

Now the CDC is reporting the total number added during October 7–14, 2022, not what the state calls ‘New Deaths.”

A week ago, there were 1.2/100,000, which is what this map reflects. However, my calculation was 1.4/100,000. If every other state’s information is up to date, Florida ranks 7^th worst in per capita deaths for the last 7 days reported:

CDC: US Covid-19 7-Day Death Rate per 100,000, by State/Territory

Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Florida vs. the Rest of the US Before and After 16+ Vaccination and During October 14–20

Florida Covid Vaccinations:

To read about the controversy raised by Dr. Ladapo over mRNA vaccination for young men, please go to the New and Urgent Information section.

Contrary to some allegations, it is not a government mandate. Instead, it will enable children without health insurance to access the vaccines more easily.

Bivalent booster eligibility was expanded on October 12^th: Pfizer for ages 5+ and Moderna for ages 6+ for everyone who has completed a primary vaccination series. The CDC recommends this booster two months after previous Covid vaccination or three months after infection.

I recommend checking this site to determine primary series and booster eligibility for each pediatric age group: CDC: Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters

MedPage: CDC Advisors Endorse Adding COVID Shots to Vax Schedule—Updated Schedules Don’t Mandate Vaccination or Prevent Unvaccinated Kids from Attending School

FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines for Use as a Booster Dose

Lab tests compared the older Moderna vaccine (mRNA 1273) with the bivalent Moderna
vaccine specific for omicron (mRNA 1273.214).

Antibodies against an omicron variant in those with and without previous infection were much higher with the newer formula. Side effects were similar:

NEJM: A Bivalent Omicron-Containing Booster Vaccine Against Covid-19

Compare the FDA’s June 17, 2022, Emergency Use Authorization for eligibility in children (6 months+) to what Florida says on the Department of Health website (12+ on one page and 6 months+ on another) and in the October 20, 2022, Department of Health report’s vaccination notes (5+):

This is the most recent update on the Department of Health site:

FDA: FDA Authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use in Children 5 through 11 Years of Age

Florida Covid Response: Who Is Eligible for a Covid-19 Vaccine

FDoH: Covid-19 Vaccines in Florida

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

As expected, on June 18^th, the CDC issued a statement recommending vaccination for all children at least 6 months old.

The agency also expanded eligibility for the Moderna vaccine to children aged 5–17 years old.

On July 8^th, the FDA upgraded the status for the Pfizer vaccine in ages 12–17 to full approval.

Novavax received an EUA for adolescents on August 22^nd.

CDC: CDC Recommends COVID-19 Vaccines for Young Children

FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Down to 6 Months of Age

FDA: FDA Roundup, July 8, 2022

CDC: CDC Recommends Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine for Adolescents

CDC: CDC Expands Updated COVID-19 Vaccines to Include Children Ages 5 Through 11

Since the clinical trials in young children occurred while omicron was prevalent, it is not surprising that both vaccines showed lower efficacy in preventing infection.

Two doses of Moderna were more effective (51% in 6 months–under 2 years; 37% in 2–4 years) than two shots of the Pfizer vaccine, which failed to produce a sufficient immune response. That is why a full series of Pfizer consists of three shots (80% effective in trials; 73% against BA.2).

Both types were well-tolerated, with side effects comparable to other childhood vaccines.

Ars Technica: Why Moderna’s FDA-Authorized COVID Shot for Under 5s Has the Edge Over Pfizer’s

MedPage: Pfizer or Moderna: Which COVID Vaccine Is the Best Bet for Your Toddler?

Pfizer: Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Data Supporting Efficacy in Children 6 Months through 4 Years of Age

In anticipation of FDA approval, the federal government created a June 13, 2022, deadline for states to preorder the smaller doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines required for children aged 6 months–4 years old. Florida was the only state to miss that deadline.

While federal pharmacies like Costco, Publix, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, and Winn-Dixie can order doses directly from the US government, most of them do not administer any vaccinations to children under 3 years old.

CVS Minute Clinics are an exception, accepting children at least 18 months old.

Despite being the first pharmacies to receive the adult vaccines in Florida, Publix has announced they will not provide them for children under 5.

I recommend using the Vaccines.gov website to locate a participating pharmacy.

During a press conference, Governor DeSantis asserted, “I would say we are affirmatively against the COVID vaccine for young kids. These are the people who have zero risk of getting anything.”

The spokesman for the Florida Department of Health stated, “The Florida Department of Health [DoH]… has made it clear to the federal government that states do not need to be involved in the convoluted vaccine distribution process, especially when the federal government has a track record of developing inconsistent and unsustainable COVID-19 policies. It is also no surprise we chose not to participate in distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine when the Department does not recommend it for all children.”

As with all other childhood vaccines, Florida hospitals were able to preorder the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5–11 in November 2021 from the state program Florida SHOTS.

However, the state’s website did not provide that option for the younger cohort for several days after receiving widespread attention in the national press.

The president of the FL chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that in her contacts with the FL DoH on this issue, the agency never claimed the situation would change after the FDA authorized the vaccines.

Within an hour of the bipartisan House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus demanding an explanation, pediatric healthcare providers were able to place orders directly beginning on June 17, 2022.

Participants in the Florida SHOTS program must order at least 100 doses. Unlike for all other age groups, the state will not store the lower dosage vaccines. As a result, small independent pediatric clinics may find it harder to deliver these shots, making it even more difficult for parents with children under 18 months old. A ten-dose vial must be thrown after away 12 hours.

According to a federal official, “The state of Florida intentionally missed multiple deadlines to order vaccines to protect its youngest kids. Now despite repeated efforts to reach out and engage officials in the state of Florida, elected officials deliberately chose to delay taking action to deny Florida parents the choice of whether to vaccinate their children or not.”

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Infants, Toddlers Face COVID Vaccine Delay, White House Says

Fox: Florida Pharmacies Will Have COVID Vaccines for Eligible Kids Under 5

CNBC: Covid Vaccine “Deserts” and Tech Woes: Publix’s Florida Rollout Highlights Risks as Retailers Play a Larger Role

The Hill: Florida-Based Publix Says They Will Not Offer Vaccine “At This Time” to Kids Under 5

Web MD: Florida Governor Rejects COVID Vaccines for Young Kids

WFLA: Pediatrics Group Calls on Florida to Order COVID Vaccine for Kids

NY Times: After Public Pressure, Florida Allows Pediatricians to Order Vaccines for Very Young Children

McClatchy: Congressional Panel Demands DeSantis Briefing on COVID Vaccines for Kids by End of Month

Tampa Bay Times: “Waiting for So Long”: COVID Vaccines Reach Youngest Floridians

Miami Herald: COVID Vaccine for Infants Arrive in Florida. Here’s Why Doctors Are Throwing Them Away

On June 28^th, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo testified to the House subcommittee. He confirmed that he and Governor DeSantis made the decision not to preorder the lower dose vaccines and to prohibit county health departments from vaccinating young children.

Dr. Ladapo admitted this would likely prevent 33,000 children without a regular doctor from receiving vaccination.

When a subcommittee member asked Dr. Ladapo about the risk of Covid infections compared to the risk of vaccination, the surgeon general called it “a perverse question.”

He asserted the comparison which matters is the risk of vaccination vs. non-vaccination, as if SARS-CoV-2 poses “little to no risk of severe illness complications.”

That same day, a high-ranking federal health official pledged to deliver smaller quantities of vaccines directly to health care providers who request them.

Based upon the experience with other age groups, pediatricians can safely give Covid vaccines with routine immunizations.

On June 30^th, the same day she began vaccinating young children, the state removed the president of the Florida Academy of Pediatrics from her board position at Florida Healthy Kids.

Florida’s Chief Financial Official made the move due to “some very political statements that do not reflect the CFO’s point of view, even going so far as to as to say that the state is ‘obstruct(ing)’ access to vaccines.’ The CFO does not share your opinion and believes the state has gone to great lengths to protect lives in the face of the Coronavirus.”

Tampa Bay Times: Ladapo Tells Congress that Florida Decision Could Limit Kids’ Vaccine Access

MedPage: Pediatrician Axed for Advocating COVID Vax in Youngest Kids

MedPage: Youngest Kids Can Get COVID Shots with Other Vaccines

As of October 20^th, 29,180 young children had received their first shot in Florida, 2.8% of that age group (+0.2% in 2 weeks).

Only 25% of children aged 5–11 and 64% of adolescents had at least one dose:

Nationwide, 1,410,000 children <5 had received a Covid vaccination by October 22, 2022. That is an increase of 50,000 in one week.

By October 12^th, 9% of children in that age bracket in the US had received a vaccine:

Salemi USF: COVID-19 in Florida

CDC: COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

American Academy of Pediatrics: Summary of Data Publicly Reported by the CDC on 10/12/22

Among the first 1,040,000 children under 5 who received vaccination, symptoms were like those from routine childhood immunizations. No cases of myocarditis occurred.

Only 19 experienced severe reactions (0.2%). Four of the children needed hospital care; however, the parents of two of them asserted the medical emergencies were unrelated to the vaccinations. That makes the hospitalization rate 0.0002%:

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MMWR: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Safety Among Children Aged 6 Months–5 Years—United
States, June 18, 2022–August 21, 2022

For infants too young to receive vaccination, having a mother who received two doses of a vaccine while pregnant reduced hospitalizations by 38% during the omicron wave and 80% during delta.

During 2021, Covid infections contributed to one-third of maternal deaths in the US (401 of 1,178).

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that unvaccinated pregnant women become vaccinated as soon as possible to protect them and their fetuses from significant harm or death.

Even a mild Covid infection can cause severe damage to a placenta, resulting in early delivery or fetal death.

Pregnant women who received boosters had 4x the antibodies of those with 2 doses. Their newborns had 2x as many antibodies as their mothers.

BMJ: Severity of Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Perinatal Outcomes of Women Admitted to Hospital During the Omicron Variant Dominant Period Using UK Obstetric Surveillance System Data: Prospective, National Cohort Study

MedPage: Newborns’ Protection with Moms’ COVID Vax Dips During Omicron

GAO: Maternal Health: Outcomes Worsened and Disparities Persisted During the Pandemic

NEJM: Maternal Vaccination and Risk of Hospitalization for Covid-19 among Infants

ACOG: COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: A Conversation Guide

Science Daily: COVID-19 Zaps Placenta’s Immune Response—This Damage Occurs Even if the Mother Has a Mild Case of COVID-19

JAMA: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Booster During Pregnancy Increases Maternal and Fetal Antibodies

On March 7, 2022, a discussion panel moderated by Governor DeSantis recommended against Covid vaccination for healthy children due to the risk of adolescent males developing myocarditis.

The state surgeon general noted that Florida is the only state to make such a declaration.

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Says Healthy Kids Shouldn’t Get COVID Vaccine, Contradicting CDC

At least four researchers cited by the state disagreed with how Florida officials used their work.

A pediatrics professor from Vanderbilt University Medical Center who co-authored one of the papers said, “I think there is cherry-picking of sentences to support what (the state) wanted. You don’t just pick one sentence from one paper that agrees with what you think you want to say. That’s not what a health department is supposed to do.”

Each of the studies Florida officials cited recommended Covid vaccination for children as safe and effective. Florida health officials omitted that information in their updated guidelines.

The researchers asserted that vaccination remains the best way to protect children from severe Covid.

Tampa Bay Times: COVID Researchers: Florida “Cherry-Picked” Our Work in Kid Vaccine Recommendation

On May 27, 2022, the Florida Department of Health threatened to fine the Special Olympics $27,500,000 if the organization continued to mandate vaccination for participants in a week-long national tournament.

The organization issued a statement saying they would nullify the decree “based upon the Florida Department of Health’s interpretation of Florida law.”

Politico: Special Olympics Reverses Vaccine Requirement After Florida Threatens $27.5M Fine

In contrast to the myocarditis arising from vaccination, the inflammation resulting from SARS-CoV-2 can cause life-threatening heart conditions in children, adolescents, and adults.

A study of 77,000 children found that 5–11-year-old boys were 540% more likely to develop heart inflammation after a Covid infection than after vaccination.

No girls of that age who were vaccinated developed myocarditis or pericarditis. Hormones account for the differences in risk between age groups and sexes:

Circulation: Myocarditis with COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

MMWR: Cardiac Complications After SARS-CoV-2 Infection and mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination—PCORnet, United States, January 2021–January 2022

A comparison of children and adolescents who had Covid versus uninfected controls found that 2/3 of the previously infected group had a ¼ reduction in their lung function for up to one year. Forty-one percent had still not recovered after 360 days.

Research examining the health of children 90 days after they tested + in emergency rooms revealed that 6% developed post-Covid health issues. The rate doubled for those with hospital admission (10% vs 5%).

Those with at least 4 symptoms and age 14+ were at greatest risk of Long Covid. Respiratory, systemic, neurological, and gastrointestinal issues were the most common symptoms:

MedPage: Persistent Pulmonary Dysfunction Seen in Kids with COVID

JAMA: Post–COVID-19 Conditions Among Children 90 Days After SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Since August 2020, 16,067 minors have required hospitalization for Covid in Florida, with 49 of those in the last week:

COVID Data Tracker: New Admissions of Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 per 100,000 Population by Age Group

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

In the US, children are three times as likely to have had severe disease from omicron than from previous variants:

JAMA: Acute Upper Airway Disease in Children with the Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant of SARS-CoV-2—A Report from the US National COVID Cohort Collaborative

MMWR: Hospitalizations of Children Aged 5–11 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19—COVID-NET, 14 States, March 2020–February 2022

Children <5 years old experienced hospitalization rates 5x greater than during the delta wave:

MMWR: Hospitalization of Infants and Children Aged 0–4 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19—COVID-NET, 14 States, March 2020–February 2022

During August 2022 in the US, unvaccinated children aged 5–11 were 66% more likely to need hospital admission than their peers with a primary vaccine series. Vaccination prevented 40% of hospitalizations in that age group.

Unvaccinated teens (12–17) were 238% more likely to require inpatient hospital care than boosted teens. A booster prevented 70% of hospitalizations:

MedPage: FDA Authorizes COVID Booster for Younger Kids—Agency Citers Concern over Omicron, Long Covid in Its Reasoning

CDC: Rates of Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Hospitalizations by Vaccination Status

As of October 13, 2022, 64 Floridians <15 had died, with 1 that week. Many of the survivors have subsequently developed serious health conditions, like diabetes.

While children are at lower risk than adults, throughout the US, Covid was one of the top ten causes of death in those aged 0–19 during January 2021 through March 2022:

Tampa Bay Times: The CDC Says Kids Should Get the COVID Vaccine—Despite Florida

Salemi USF: Covid Deaths by State

Peterson-KFF: COVID-19 Leading Cause of Death Ranking

MedR_xiv: Covid-19 Is a Leading Cause of Death in Children and Young People Ages 0–19 Years in the United States

According to the CDC, as of October 19, 2022, 69% of people in Florida had at least completed a vaccine series. Based upon my calculation using the Florida Department of Health’s population figure, it is 66%.

840,000 of the CDC’s increase compared to the Florida Department of Health’s October 20^th data is attributed to including federal personnel stationed in Florida whom the state does not count:

Based upon CDC data, 28% of permanent Florida residents, snowbirds, and visitors have received a booster shot:

CDC: Integrated County View Florida

Palm Beach Post: COVID-19 in Florida: Wave Appears to Be Flattening with New Infections, Hospitalizations Holding Steady

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

As of October 22, 2022, 1,564,788 people in Florida had a second booster shot. That amounts to 35% of those 50+ who had previously received a first booster and 7% of the total population:

CDC: Percent of People with a First Booster Dose Who Received a Second Booster Dose Reported to the CDC by State/Territory for the Population 50 Years of Age and Older

Note that the segments of the population with the highest percentages of boosted individuals also have lower than expected death rates compared to the national averages.

Vaccinated individuals who get infected have less than half the risk of a heart attack or stroke due to narrowed arteries:

CDC: Integrated County View Florida

Salemi USF: Covid Deaths by State

MedPage: Vaccinated Have Lower Heart, Stroke Risk from COVID

On March 25, 2022, USA Today reported that over 600,000 snowbirds had been included in
Florida’s official vaccination tally. That happened in over 100 zip codes.

Many “vaccine tourists” were in Miami-Dade County. Note the 99% vaccination rate there. For cases and deaths in the state, Florida counts only permanent residents:

USA Today: Florida Overcounts Vaccinations by 600,000 People. Snowbirds Responsible, Analysis Shows

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

This is from the June 30^th report. For the week beginning on June 10th, about 15,841,000 people had at least one shot:

And this is from the June 16^th report. For the week beginning on June 10^th, about 15,340,000 people had at least one shot. That is a difference of about 500,000 people for the same date:

June 30, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

June 16, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

The spokesman for the Florida Department of Health offered no explanation other than “Please read the last page of the report.”

According to that section, the population is based upon the number of Floridians at least 5 years old, which contradicts the process used to derive the number of infants to include from another part of the report.

It is also identical to the Vaccination Notes from the previous report:

June 30, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Palm Beach Post: Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Count Jumps 263,000 in Two Weeks. DeSantis Officials Won’t Say Why

June 23, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Research concerning vaccination and the conglomeration of symptoms known as “long Covid” found a 1/3 reduction in those who were vaccinated before getting infected. Post-viral
vaccination reduced or eliminated symptoms in up to 30% of long Covid sufferers. However, symptoms did worsen on occasion after vaccination.

MedR_xiv: Long COVID Risk and Pre-COVID Vaccination: An EHR-Based Cohort Study from the RECOVER Program

UK Health Security: The Effectiveness of Vaccination Against Long Covid

Mixing vaccine types for a booster shot will give you the best protection because they stimulate different parts of your immune system.

In a recent study, people who got both were less likely to need hospital care. If you had at least 2 Moderna, I recommend getting a Pfizer and vice versa.

The CDC recommends using the same vaccine for the first two doses.

Ars Technica: Pfizer, Moderna Vaccines Aren’t the Same; Study Finds Antibody Differences: The Findings Add Further Weight to the Idea of Mix-and-Match Boosting

JAMA: Odds of Hospitalization for COVID-19 After 3 vs 2 Doses of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine by Time Since Booster Dose

CDC: Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters CDC: Interchangeability of COVID-19 Vaccine Products

People on Medicare can receive an additional booster shot at no cost. During the initial omicron wave in Israel, a second booster prevented 64% of hospitalizations and 72% of Covid deaths among nursing home residents compared to those who received only a first booster.

CDC: CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots

Medicare: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccine

CDC: COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

MedPage: Second COVID Booster Protected Seniors in Long-Term Care

Research involving breakthrough omicron infections indicates the number of viral particles is significantly lower in people who have had booster shots.

People with two doses carried the same amount of virus as unvaccinated people. That likely affects the rate of transmission.

Nature: Infectious Viral Load in Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Individuals Infected with
Ancestral, Delta or Omicron SARS-CoV-2

MedPage: Vaccination Tied to Shorter COVID Illness, Less Viral Shedding

The CDC has removed hospitalization information for adults who received only a primary series, backdated to December 2021.

This data compares people with at least one booster to those who remain unvaccinated. You can click on the link to see the charts.

During August 2022, boosters prevented 72% of hospitalizations among people aged 18–49; 86% for ages 50–64; and 82% for senior citizens:

A recent study of hospitalized adults through April 2022 in the US determined that unvaccinated people were 10.5 times more likely to require hospitalization than boosted individuals. Those with only a primary series were 2.5 times more likely to be admitted.

Boosted people who did need hospital care were significantly older or were medically fragile.

Other research compared the proportion of boosted inpatients vs. inpatients with only a primary series over time since the last dose.

As this chart shows, booster protection waned over time, with a major decrease beginning after 100 days.

Boosted people who had mixed doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were the least likely to need hospital care:

CDC: Rates of Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Hospitalizations by Vaccination Status

JAMA: COVID-19-Associated Hospitalizations Among Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Adults 18 Years or Older in 13 US States, January 2021 to April 2022

JAMA: Odds of Hospitalization for COVID-19 After 3 vs 2 Doses of mRNA COVID-19
Vaccine by Time Since Booster Dose

The risk of death among unvaccinated people and those with a primary series during the week of August 28–September 3, 2022, is as follows:

Here is another way to visualize that data by making the risk of death after receiving a primary series = 1 and comparing the death rates for unvaccinated people to the vaccinated.

Unvaccinated senior citizens under the age of 80 were 9x more likely to die than their vaccinated peers:

Relative Risk of Death by Age and Vaccination Status

Age	Primary Series	Unvaccinated
18–29	1	1
30–49	1	5
50–64	1	7.9
65–79	1	9
80+	1	4.1

CDC: Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status

A second booster in people 50+ makes an enormous difference in the risk of dying from Covid.

During August 28–September 3, 2022, having at least 2 boosters prevented 91% of deaths; 1 booster prevented 61% of deaths; and a primary series prevented 52% of deaths compared to unvaccinated individuals (5.46/100,000):

CDC: Rates of COVID-19 Deaths by Vaccination Status and 2+ booster Doses in Ages 50+
Years

As we are currently seeing in the US, a second booster of the original vaccines is much less
effective at preventing infections than hospitalizations or deaths.

For people 50+ during September 18–24, 2022, having at least 2 boosters prevented 67% of infections; 1 booster prevented 49% of infections; and a primary series prevented 79% of infections compared to the rate in unvaccinated people.

Hopefully, the bivalent vaccine which was formulated against omicron BA.4 and BA.5 is making a significant difference which will appear in the next CDC update:

CDC: Rates of COVID-19 Cases by Vaccination Status and 2+Booster Doses in Ages 50+ Years

On January 14, 2022, Governor DeSantis’s office announced it would not enforce the federal government’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. The US Supreme Court upheld the requirement for all healthcare facilities which receive federal funds on the 13^th.

On January 19^th, the Florida Department of Health placed the epidemiologist who led Orange County’s pandemic response on administrative leave. The state considered charging him with a criminal offense for sending an email chiding the county’s public health employees for their 40% vaccination rate. That suspension ended on March 22, 2022.

A day later, Governor DeSantis promoted a conspiracy theory by asserting that many nurses are avoiding vaccination because “they’re trying to have families.” Numerous studies confirm that vaccination does not cause infertility; in fact, getting Covid can reduce male fertility.

Becker’s Hospital Review: DeSantis Casts aside CMS Vaccine Rule for Hospitals

B B C : T o p Florida Health Official on Leave over Support for Vaccination

Physicians Society Central FL: Orange’s State Health officer Raul Pino Reinstated After Leave over Vaccine E-mail

Twitter: DeSantis Pushes Infertility Conspiracy

Covid-19: The Omicron Variant

MedPage: Sexual Dysfunction, Hair Loss Among Long COVID Symptoms

Nature Medicine: Symptoms and Risk Factors for Long COVID in Non-hospitalized Adults

Covid Cases in Florida:

With the rise in at-home testing since the omicron wave began, it is important to know that official confirmed cases are likely to be significantly undercounted.

For the week ending on October 20, 2022, Florida reported 10,111 confirmed Covid cases.

Adding those to the state’s previous cumulative count gives us a total of 7,149,300 cumulative Covid cases among permanent residents.

Compared to the week ending on October 13^th, that is a 2% increase (9,934):

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

On June 6, 2022, a report from the Florida Auditor General revealed that 60% of people who tested positive for Covid during March–October 2020, were never notified of their results.

That affected at least 183,000 individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and likely had a major impact on preventing Covid transmission in the state. The Tampa Bay Times article includes a link to the audit.

Tampa Bay Times: Florida’s Health Department Undercounted COVID Cases and Deaths, State Audit Says

On June 4, 2021, the state removed all data from anyone who has not established permanent residency and stopped reporting information from visitors, seasonal residents, and migrant workers. This deleted 43,535 cases.

I can no longer access this file, as my browser deems it a security risk. Learning about this was what motivated me to begin writing these posts:

FL Covid-19 Cases and Monitoring as of June 3, 2021

Dr. Salemi has been publishing state rankings of confirmed cases, with the addition of Washington DC and New York City.

After terrible rankings during May 25^th–August 24^th, Florida has improved to 5^th best, with 9,904 as of October 19^th:

Salemi USF: COVID-19 Cases in Florida

Aug 25, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

During October 14–20, cases rose in each of the largest counties.

Miami-Dade had 1,809 (+2%); Broward had 938 (+4%); Palm Beach had 799 (+15%); and Hillsborough had 592 (+9%). Orange County—where Disney is located—had 592 (+17%).

There is now a one-week lag in state data getting posted to the CDC’s site. So, I compared the official Florida statistics to the ones listed for the CDC this week. CDC data is identical to what I reported a week ago:

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

Clicking on this map at the CDC’s web site will show you the exact number of confirmed cases for any county which reported data during October 7–13, 2022.

I must compare the current state report to last week’s CDC data to determine the amount of change this week. The state report by itself tells us nothing about the amount of change:

CDC: Florida Reported Cases by County

Dr. Jason Salemi was posting very helpful county-level case data until April 22^nd. Unfortunately, that information is no longer available:

Salemi USF: COVID-19 Cases in Florida

April 28, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

April 22, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

To evaluate the trend in Covid infections among children during the week of October 14–20, 2022, we can compare the current report to the one from two weeks earlier:

During October 14–20, 77 infants <6 months old tested positive, an increase of 27% from 61 a week earlier. For ages 6 months–4 years, cases increased by 4% to 268 from 258.

Overall, children <5 had an 8% rise in positive tests reported to the state in one week.

That week, 256 elementary-aged children tested positive, an increase of 21% over last week (211). Ages 12–19 had 402 positive reports, a 19% rise from 338. Combining these two age groups yields a 20% increase.

Salemi USF: Covid-19 in Florida

Oct 6, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

There were more cumulative cases reported for children under five in the June 16^th report (192,875) than in the June 30^threport (191,640).

That gives us -1,235 for the week of June 17–23, 2022, at precisely the time when the state was preventing vaccination of that age group:

June 30, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

June 16, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

The 2021–2022 school year began on August 10^th, and the Hillsborough County School District instituted a mandatory mask mandate on August 18^th. They ended it on October 15, 2021.

Florida law prohibits requiring masks in non-medical settings and now leaves the decision about quarantining after a close contact at school to the child’s parents.

HCSD: Covid Frequently Asked Questions

A study of schools with more than 1.1 million students and 157,000 staff members determined a 72% drop of in-school Covid transmission occurred with mandatory mask policies instead of optional or partial masking.

Healthcare workers who wore respirator masks like N95s had half the risk of getting Covid compared to colleagues who wore surgical masks.

NIH: Mandatory Masking in Schools Reduced COVID-19 Cases During Delta Surge

MedPage: Healthcare Workers Who Wear Better Masks Get Less COVID

The Hillsborough County School District published a notice effective January 31, 2022.

During the week leading up to that announcement 38,629 school-aged children in Florida had tested positive:

“The Florida Department of Health has shifted COVID-19 case investigation focus to: ‘high-congregate settings’ (nursing homes/skilled nursing/assisted living facilities, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, group homes) at high risk for secondary transmission or poor health outcomes among their residents as a result of COVID-19 infection. Public schools and daycare settings are not considered congregate settings.”

Hillsborough County School District: COVID-19 Student Protocol

Jan 27, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening

On January 26^th, the Orange County School District announced that the state will no longer permit excused absences for Covid effective January 31^st. Children who quarantined after a Covid exposure would be considered truant:

Orange County School District: Unexcused Absences for Covid

Schools closed for the summer after May 26^th. As of May 23, 2022, there had been 29,000 cases during that school year in the Hillsborough County School District:

This dashboard is no longer posted online for the school year which began on August 10, 2022:

Hillsborough County Public Schools Covid Dashboard

Florida Covid Testing and Prevention:

A report released by the US House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in June 2022 explains Florida’s approach to the pandemic:

In March 2020, a radiologist named Scott Atlas began pushing the federal government to stop “a massive overreaction” that was “inciting irrational fear.”

He claimed that SARS-CoV-2 would kill about 10,000 Americans, a number so small that it “would be unnoticed” compared to influenza.

Dr. Atlas advocated isolating high-risk people and exposing lower-risk Americans to the virus as quickly as possible.

Masks and widespread social distancing would prevent that from happening, so he eschewed them.

On July 4, 2020, another like-minded Trump Administration official wrote this:

Dr. Deborah Birx pointed out that many Americans over 70 live in multi-generational households, to no avail.

Dr. Atlas advised Ron DeSantis on Florida’s Covid response.

Several months later, Jared Kushner secretly hired him to join the Trump Administration. Mr. Kushner told him to hide his badge and had him anonymously join Coronavirus Task Force online meetings for the first two weeks he was employed there, because Dr. Birx “would be extremely sensitive and upset and threatened if I came in.”

A memorandum written by Dr. Atlas called “Strategy for Moving Forward Covid-19” stated this:

He also claimed, “…emerging research adding insights into immunity and suggesting
that herd immunity may arise with a far lower population infection rate than originally thought…We expect to see more cases with more social interactions, because this is a contagious disease.”

In August 2020, Dr. Atlas invited several doctors to the White House who agreed with his approach.

One of them was Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who now serves as the Florida Surgeon General.

Dr. Birx sent this email to the vice president’s chief of staff, calling them “a fringe group without grounding in epidemics, public health, or on the ground common sense experience”:

The group met anyway.

During her testimony to the House Select Subcommittee, Dr. Birx called the meeting “dangerous”, and said, “any credibility given to these individuals in this moment while we were headed into the fall would be dangerous for our overall response and ability to contain the virus.”

Fearing that large-scale testing was harmful because it would interfere with achieving herd immunity and lead to “lockdowns [which would] hurt Americans more than the virus,” Dr. Atlas wrote this on August 3, 2020:

After fierce debate, the testing guidance was drastically weakened against the wishes of the CDC director.

An unknown person removed the recommendation for people without symptoms to self-isolate for 14 days after close contact with an infected person. Testing declined significantly.

In September, Dr. Atlas sent an email claiming that PCR tests were “misleadingly positive.” His “remedy” was to make the lab work stop after fewer cycles, making the virus harder to detect:

Three weeks after restrictions were loosened, the CDC reinstated 14 days of isolation even with a negative test.

When Jared Kushner read a draft tweet created for President Trump to ask everyone to wear a mask to slow viral spread, Dr. Atlas objected that it wasn’t consistent with the president’s disparagement of masks. It was weakened to read “only if you cannot socially distance.”

Dr. Atlas then wrote several op-eds claiming that masking could be harmful due to contamination and giving a false sense of security:

His anti-mask program enabled the spread of the virus, perfectly in keeping with his desire to get as many people infected quickly as possible.

The subcommittee cited Dr. Atlas’ schemes to promote herd immunity as a major factor in the subsequent rejection of vaccines by many Americans.

While meeting with the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus, multiple former senior officials on the White House Coronavirus Task Force emphasized that Dr. Atlas severely impaired the effectiveness of the pandemic response.

Dr. Birx estimated that 130,000 more lives were lost due to those decisions, which closely mirror what we have seen implemented by the DeSantis Administration in Florida.

You can find a link to the full report here:

MedPage: Report Shows Trump Administration Embraced Herd Immunity via Mass Infections—The Strategy Likely Contributed to Many Preventable Deaths, Report Notes

Dr. Ladapo’s previous employer was UCLA. The state hired him despite his supervisor’s written response concerning whether she recommended his appointment:

“No. In my opinion the people of Florida would be better served by a surgeon general who grounds his policy decisions and recommendations in the best scientific evidence rather than
opinions…Dr. Ladapo’s opinions … were contrary to the best scientific evidence available about the COVID-19 pandemic and caused concern among a large number of his research and clinical colleagues and subordinates who felt that his opinions violated the Hippocratic Oath that physicians do no harm.”

LA Times: In Threat to Public Health, Florida Publishes Flawed and Unscientific Anti-vaccine ‘Study’

With omicron reinfections commonly occurring, we know that achieving herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is a myth, yet their tactics have not changed.

Becker Hospital Review: How Omicron changed the Reinfection Landscape

A scandal erupted on December 30, 2021, concerning 1,000,000 expired antigen tests sitting in a warehouse. At that time, it was virtually impossible to find an at-home test.

On January 3, 2022, the Florida Surgeon General decried the “testing psychology” which seeks to identify all Covid cases to slow the rate of community transmission.

Three days later, the governor announced the state was shipping 1,000,000 test kits to long-term care and nursing facilities.

Florida’s web site shifted its focus to testing. Specifically, that people who are not high-risk should avoid it:

T h e Hill: Florida Surgeon General Blasts “Testing Psychology” around COVID-19

Florida Covid-19 Response

The Hill: DeSantis Administration Says It Let a Million COVID-19 Tests Expire in Florida Warehouse

The Hill: Florida Sending 1 Million Free COVID-19 Tests to Elderly Communities

On February 7^th, the Florida Department of Health officially reprimanded two testing companies which failed to report the results of 230,000 Covid tests taken during December and January.

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Contractors Didn’t Report 230,000 COVID Tests on Time During Omicron Wave

Until September 2^nd, every household in the US was eligible to receive 3 shipments of 4 free Covid tests from the federal government at Covid.gov. That came to an end due to funding cuts. However, Medicare Part B will cover up to 8 tests/month at participating pharmacies.

The shift to home-based testing with the first omicron wave is highly likely to result in an under-reporting of Covid cases. The CDC advises those with a positive at-home test to report the results to their doctor.

The Hill: Federal Government to Halt Free COVID-19 At-home Tests by Early September

Medicare: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Diagnostic Tests

High quality masks do work. Healthcare workers who wore respirator masks like N95s had half the risk of getting Covid compared to colleagues who wore surgical masks.

You can search for free N95 masks at Covid.gov.

MedPage: Healthcare Workers Who Wear Better Masks Get Less COVID

Public health officials recommend maintaining a positivity rate less than 5% for two weeks before reopening. That means enough testing is taking place to capture even asymptomatic cases.

JHU: COVID-19 Testing: Understanding the “Percent Positive”

Florida crossed the 5% threshold during April 9–21, 2022:

June 2, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

For October 14–20, 2022, Florida reported a 7.1% positivity rate. This is a 6% rise compared to a week ago:

Seven-day positivity rates from the CDC are no longer available.

Over the last six months of using CDC data, I have noticed a pattern of the Florida Department of Health underreporting the positivity rate by about two points. I recommend assuming the state is continuing to do that:

CDC: Florida Daily Covid Testing

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

Dr. Salemi was posting very helpful county-level data until April 22^nd. Unfortunately, his site no longer includes county-level data since the crash of his hard drive:

Salemi USF: COVID-19 in Florida

April 22, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Fortunately, the CDC’s County-level Covid Tracker seems to have been updated for this statistic.

On October 18, 2022, 40 of the 64 counties in Florida which reported data exceeded the 5% threshold (no change). A 0% positivity rate usually means that county failed to release information.

24 of them reported a rate <5% (no change). Six of them were >10% (+2). Disney’s location (Orange County) increased to a 7.96% positivity rate:

CDC: Florida Positivity Percentages by County

Thirty-four of the 64 counties which reported data had increases this week (+8). Ten of them increased by at least two full percentage points (+2). Those counties are scattered throughout the state.

15 fell by at least two points (+5).

You can check on the amount of change in your county’s positivity rate by going to the link under this map:

CDC: Florida Change in Weekly Percentage of Positivity by County

Covid Therapeutics in FL:

Until January 8^th, the state continued to emphasize monoclonal antibody treatment as the focus of the Covid-19 Response web site:

Florida Covid-19 Response

Mutations which have resulted in the omicron variants render ineffective almost all the monoclonal antibodies previously in use, including the antibody combination used in Regeneron against the delta variant (imdevimab and casirivimab).

In the US, 100% of new cases were due to the omicron strains by January 29, 2022:

Covid-19: The Omicron Variant

NEJM: Efficacy of Antibodies and Antiviral Drugs Against Covid-19 Omicron Variant

March 24, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

For the week ending January 8^th, 97% of sequenced cases in the region which includes Florida were omicron:

CDC: Variant Proportions

Jan 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

At that time, there was only one monoclonal antibody produced in the US which could attach to circulating omicron BA.1 particles.

Sotrovimab worked against the original omicron variant and omicron BA.1 at a dosage three times that required to neutralize the delta variant.

Covid-19: The Omicron Variant

NEJM: Efficacy of Antibodies and Antiviral Drugs Against Covid-19 Omicron Variant

During the first week of January 2022, hospitals in Florida used 140 of the state’s stockpile of 4,400 Sotrovimab doses, in contrast to over 2,700 doses of the ineffective Regeneron monoclonal antibody.

On January 18^th, the state announced the opening of additional monoclonal antibody infusion centers to distribute what remained of the 15,000 additional doses of Regeneron secured on January 7^th.

T a m p a B a y T i m e s : Omicron Undermines Florida’s Strategy to Combat C oronavirus: Gov. Ron DeSantis Continues to Tout Monoclonal Antibody Therapies, but New Evidence Shows Their
Effectiveness Against COVID-19 Is Waning

Florida Health: Florida to Open Additional Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Treatment Sites

A week later, the FDA revised its Emergency Use Authorizations for the two components of Regeneron, prohibiting their use against the omicron variant.

The federal government stopped shipping those monoclonal antibodies. Why the state continued to emphasize this until at least July 25^th is mystifying:

Those notices have finally been removed:

Florida Covid-19 Response

Governor DeSantis accused the Biden Administration of having no clinical evidence, despite the manufacturers of both antibodies noting they had become ineffective:

F D A : Coronoavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Limits Use of Certain Monoclonal Antibodies to Treat COVID-19 Due to the Omicron Variant

Daniel Dale: DeSantis vs Regeneron and Lilly

Abcellera: Statement on the Neutralization Activity of Its Monoclonal Antibody Therapies Against the Omicron Variant of Concern

R o n DeSantis: Governor DeSantis Condemns Biden Administration’s Haphazard Decision to Revoke Authorization of Lifesaving Monoclonal Antibody Treatments

Nevertheless, Florida administered over 37,500 doses of ineffective monoclonal antibodies after the FDA announced they were no longer authorized for use.

Monoclonal antibodies can trigger severe side effects:

JAMA: Administration of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies After US Food and Drug Administration Deauthorization

Regen-Cov: January 24, 2022: REGEN-COV Usage Revisions and Important Safety Information

Sotrovimab was 27 times less effective against BA.2 than for BA.1 and is ineffective for newer subvariants.

Therefore, on April 5, 2022, the FDA amended the Emergency Use Authorization to revoke the use of Sotrovimab nationwide:

CDC: Variant Proportions

June 2, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Does Any Monoclonal Antibody Work Against BA.2?—Pre-print Lab Data Cast Doubt on the One Remaining Effective Antibody Treatment

BioR_xiv: Antibody Evasion Properties of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Sublineages

MedPage: COVID Antivirals Appear to Hold Up Against BA.2—In Lab Study, Monoclonal Antibodies Required Much Higher Concentrations Versus Omicron Subvariant

FDA: Update [4/5/2022] FDA Revokes Use of Sotrovimab to Treat COVID-19 Nationwide Due to the BA.2 Omicron Sub-variant

The subvariants called BA.4 and BA.5 were first detected in the US in late May 2022.

The CDC separated BA.4.6 from its ancestor BA.4.

BF.7, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1 evolved from BA.5.

During October 16–22, BA.5 accounts for 62% of US samples; BQ.1 for 9%; BQ.1.1 for 7%; BF.7 for 7%; BA.4.6 for 11%; BA.4 for 0.4%; BA.2.75 for 2%; and BA.2.27.2 for 1%.

People who were previously infected with omicron BA.1 or BA.2 are susceptible to reinfection from omicron BA.2.75, BA.4 and omicron BA.5. This very likely includes the sub lineages which descended from them: BA4.6 and BF.7.

The newest subvariants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 can infect even those who have recovered from their ancestor, BA.5.

Bivalent mRNA booster vaccines developed to respond to BA.5 are expected to remain effective against severe disease:

Ars Technica: BA.5 Is Finally Fading—Sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Rise from Variant Stew

MedR_xiv: Imprinted SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immunity Induces Convergent Omicron RBD Evolution

Becker’s Hospital Review: Where BQ.1 Is Most Prevalent: 5 Notes on the New COVID-19 Variant

In this map, deep red indicates BA.2.75, light green designates BA.4, blue represents BA.4.6, aqua depicts BA.5, medium green shows the amount of BQ.1, deep green shows BQ.1.1. and pea green indicates BF.7.

In the region which includes Florida during October 16–22, 2022, the percentages of BA.2.75 and BA.2.75.2 are at 1% each; BA.4.6 remained the same at 16%, BA.5 dropped to 63%. BF.7 rose to 7%; BQ.1 remained the same at 5% and BQ.1.1 increased to 5% of samples tested.

CDC: Variant Proportions

The October 22, 2022, update of this chart indicates that bebtelovimab does not neutralize omicron BQ.1 or BQ.1.1. Not being highlighted means an antibody works well:

Bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404) remains effective against BF.7:

Medical News Today: The Latest Omicron Subvariant: What We Know So Far about BA.2.12.1

Stanford Univ: Coronavirus Antiviral and Resistance Database

DPZ: Emerging Omicron Subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5 are Inhibited Less Efficiently by Antibodies

MedR_xiv: Further Humoral Immunity Evasion of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 and BA.5 Subvariants

Ars Technica: BA.5 Is Finally Fading—Sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Rise from Variant Stew

MedR_xiv: Imprinted SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immunity Induces Convergent Omicron RBD Evolution

On February 10, 2022, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced the purchase of enough Bebtelovimab to treat 600,000 people. It began shipping nation-wide within a week.

Public Health Emergency: State/Territory-Coordinated Weekly Distribution of COVID-19 Therapeutics

On April 25, 2022, the federal government changed its allocation method to one aligned with vaccine delivery and switched to a new web page:

The US delivered a final allocation of 85 doses of bebtelovimab to Florida on September 7^th:

Here is the most recent federal allocation of 7,585 Covid-specific treatments to Florida. Initial reports indicate Paxlovid continues to work against BQ.1 and BQ.1.1:

6,520 of the oral Paxlovid
1,065 of the less-effective oral Molnupiravir (Lagevrio)
none of the pre-exposure Evusheld

HHS: COVID-19 Therapeutics Thresholds, Orders, and Replenishment by Jurisdiction

Global News: Omicron’s BQ.1.1 COVID-19 Sub-variant. Why Experts Are Watching It

MedPage: Authorized COVID Antiviral Fails to Cut Hospitalization Risk—Recovery Moderately Faster with Molnupiravir, but Risks Might Outweigh Benefit

As of October 16^th, Florida patients had used 68% of the state’s cumulative Paxlovid deliveries (no change); 22% of the Legevrio (Molnupiravir) (no change); 63% of the Bebtelovimab (no change); and 52% of the Evusheld (+2%):

FDA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes New Monoclonal Antibody for Treatment of COVID-19 that Retains Activity Against Omicron Variant

HHS: Secretary Becerra Announces HHS Purchase of 600,000 Treatment Courses of New Monoclonal Antibody that Works Against Omicron

HHS: COVID-19 Therapeutics by Jurisdiction

The FDA has granted pharmacists the authorization to prescribe Paxlovid, citing the need to begin treatment within 5 days of symptoms developing. However, the agency does recommend seeing a physician first whenever possible.

MedPage: FDA Gives Pharmacists Thumbs Up for Paxlovid Prescribing

On December 8, 2021, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody developed to protect people over the age of 12 with severe immunosuppression against infection.

Due to the scarce supply, people with certain cancers or who had received organ transplants had the highest priority.

Governor DeSantis announced the new preventative was available on December 17^th, when Covid was raging through Miami-Dade County.

However, the first shipments went to a small private fee-based clinic in Broward County, not to a major medical center. People flew from out of state to receive it.

A spokesperson for the state claimed the iCare Clinic received priority because it was open on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Jackson Memorial, the hospital in Miami with the most transplant patients in FL, received it four weeks later. Before that time, 11,000 doses had already been shipped to the state.

FDA: FDA Authorizes New Long-Acting Monoclonal Antibodies for Pre-Exposure Prevention of COVID-19 in Certain Individuals

Governor’s Office: Governor DeSantis Highlights New Preventative Monoclonal Antibody for Immunocompromised Patients

Dec 23, 2021 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

S t at: A Tiny Florida Company Got more of a Scarce Covid Therapy than Some Big Hospitals, Raising Equity Questions

Miami Herald: Florida Sent Scarce COVID-19 Therapy to a Private Broward Clinic before Jackson Memorial

Local 10: Jackson, UM Hospital to Receive Shipments of Monoclonal Antibody Doses for Immunodeficient Patients

Public Health Emergency: State/Territory-Coordinated Weekly Distribution of COVID-19 Therapeutics

Evusheld is a combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab. It appears to remain effective against BA.5 but at a much higher dosage.

On June 29^th, the FDA revised the dosage of each component of Evusheld and recommended repeating the shots every 6 months.

Unfortunately, it does not work against several subvariants, such as BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, BF.7, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1. Those subvariants account for 34% of Florida samples:

MedR_xiv: Further Antibody Escape by Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 from Vaccine and BA.1 Serum

Stanford Univ: Coronavirus Antiviral and Resistance Database

FDA: FDA Authorizes Revisions to Evusheld Dosing

MedR_xiv: Further Humoral Immunity Evasion of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 BA.4 and BA.5
Subvariants

CDC: Variant Proportions

Florida received a monthly allocation of 12,360 doses of Evusheld on October 3^rd:

HHS: COVID-19 Therapeutics by Jurisdiction

Covid Hospitalizations in Florida:

You won’t find any hospitalization information on Florida’s Covid Reports. That is one of the reasons I began writing these.

Florida stopped including Covid hospitalization data in their reports on June 4, 2021.

However, the state must relay all hospitalization data to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Florida reported a record 13,028 hospitalizations for Covid-19 on August 24, 2021, to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

COVID Data Tracker: New Admissions of Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 per 100,000 Population by Age Group

Since the omicron variants became predominant, hospital officials are seeing more incidental Covid cases among people who are in the hospital.

Roughly one-third are admitted for a primary diagnosis of Covid; one-third for a Covid infection making an underlying condition worse; and one-third for reasons unrelated to their viral infection.

WaPo: In the Nation’s Hospitals, this Covid Wave Is Different

MedPage: When COVID Pushes Other Conditions Past the “Tipping Point”—Is the Patient Hospitalized “for” COVID, “with” COVID, or Somewhere in Between?

For August 1, 2020–October 20, 2022, Florida has had 496,775 new hospital admissions for Covid patients. This represents 9.1% of all Covid admissions for 6.6% of the US population.

During October 13–20, 2022, there was an average of 169 admissions per day, a total of 1,210. That was a decrease of 13% from the previous week (1,376; 195/day).

This is 92% fewer compared to the peak during August 11–17, 2021, when there were 13,028 admissions:

Here is the information for the entire US. Florida accounted for 5.3% of Covid admissions this week (22,923), down from 6.0% a week earlier:

You can find more detailed hospitalization statistics on the same CDC COVID Data Tracker, choosing Florida as the Jurisdiction and stratifying by any age:

On October 20, 2022, the rate of adult hospital admissions rose with increasing age. The amount of change for adults this week ranged from -32% (ages 18–29) to 0% (30–39). Pediatric admissions fell by 5%.

Compared to the delta variant wave we encountered in 2021, omicron admissions have been higher for people younger than 30 and older than 69.

There were 0.80 new admissions/100,000 Floridians; 0.90 one week earlier:

AGE	ADMISSIONS	% CHANGE
0–17	0.18	-5
18–29	0.13	-32
30–39	0.23	0
40–49	0.39	-7
50–59	0.52	-13
60–69	0.98	-14
70+	2.95	-14
all	0.80	-11

Since August 2020, 16,067 minors have required hospitalization for Covid in Florida, with 49 of those in the last week:

COVID Data Tracker: New Admissions of Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 per 100,000 Population by Age Group

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Since everyone 16+ became eligible for vaccination on April 1, 2021, people in Florida have been 58% more likely to require Covid hospital admission than people in the rest of the US.

For the week during October 14–20, 2022, they were 23% less likely to begin inpatient hospital care.

Per capita, there were 77 admissions in Florida for every 100 admissions elsewhere in the US.

For the week ending on September 8^th, there were 235 FL/100 elsewhere in the US:

Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Florida vs. the Rest of the US Before and After 16+ Vaccination and During October 14–20

Oct 13, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Sept 8, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

Dr. Salemi is now publishing the hospitalization rankings for every state and Washington DC for each age group over time. On October 20^th, Florida improved to 18^th best in the nation for adult Covid admissions.

During June 2–August 16, 2022, there were only 4 days that the state did not rank last.

In the last 5 weeks, Florida has improved significantly to 22^nd best for adult hospitalizations; the state remained almost the same at 26^th best for adult ICU patients.

After a huge leap from 3^rd worst to 21^st best 2 weeks ago, pediatric admissions were 29^th best. Pediatric hospitalizations are 25^th best, down from 18^th a week earlier:

Salemi USF: COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Florida

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

Children <5 years old in the US were 5x as likely to need hospital care during the first omicron
wave than during delta:

When Florida officials refused to preorder vaccines for young children, the state was the 2^ndworst in the US for pediatric admissions:

MMWR: Hospitalization of Infants and Children Aged 0–4 Years with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19—COVID-NET, 14 States, March 2020–February 2022

June 30, 2022 Florida Covid Stats: What Is Really Happening?

After ten weeks with the worst US adult admissions ranking in weekly snapshots, Florida improved to 2^nd worst during August 4–18, 2022. Until then, the number of patients had risen steadily.

Please note that this is a mid-week snapshot: Dr. Salemi was unable to post one for October 20^th due to a change in CDC reporting.

On October 24^th, Florida’s adult admissions ranking shifted to 16^th best, with 170 that day (-5%). 1,066 adult Covid patients were hospitalized, ranking 19^th best (-11%).

Eleven percent of hospitalized adults needed ICU care, falling by 28% to 120 and ranking 14^th best in the US.

Pediatric Covid hospitalizations are down 5% from a week earlier, with 19 children in the hospital (20^th best).

There were 7 pediatric admissions on that day (no change), worsening Florida’s pediatric admissions rank slightly from 27^th to 26^th best.

Since April 20^th, the weekly snapshot of pediatric admission has been no better than 3^rd worst only 6 times.

One in 25 admissions are for children, down from 1 in 4 on April 20^th:

Salemi USF: COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Florida

Florida Covid Statistics: What is Really Happening?

Here is the most recent county-level data from the CDC. You can click on their web site’s map to see specific information for each county.

On October 19^th, Orange County—where Disney is located—had 61 new hospital admissions in the last 7 days (-23%).

Miami-Dade had 148 (-11%); Broward had 107 (-11%); Palm Beach had 69 (-33%); and Hillsborough had 106 (+4%):

CDC: Florida Confirmed COVID-19 New Hospital Admissions by County

This is the percentage of change in hospital admissions by county as of October 19^th.

The locations with the largest increases are in the Panhandle and where Hurricane Ian hit hardest in the Southwest. Thirteen counties had large increases:

CDC: Percent Change in Hospital Admissions by County

HHS tracks Hospital Utilization.

On October 20^th, 78% of hospital beds in Florida were full (no change). Covid patients accounted for 1,480 of them (2.8% of utilized beds, no change). One week earlier, there were 1,524 Covid patients, so this is a drop of 3%:

On October 20^th, 3% percent of ICU beds in use in Florida were filled by 178 Covid patients, 25% more than a week earlier (142). This represents 12% of hospitalized Covid patients.

Overall, 74% of ICU beds are occupied in the state (-1%):