by Robin Kemp

With COVID-19 rampaging through Clayton County, fewer than half of its residents have gotten even one vaccination–and all age groups are suffering new infections.

The latest figures from the Clayton County Health Department and Georgia Department of Public Health shows 49% of residents (that’s 138,510 people) have had at least one COVID-19 vaccination. However, most of them–44% of residents, or 123,957 people–have been fully vaccinated. Only 29% (that’s 36,932 people) have gotten a booster shot.

One bright spot: more than half of women in Clayton County (52.9%) have had at least one dose (that’s 78,296 women). Men lag behind the overall average, at only 45.8% vaccinated once (that’s 59,926 men). Another 198 people who have received at least one COVID-19 shot were listed as “unknown” sex.

Among non-Hispanics, 47.2%  (that’s 114,258 people) have had at least one vaccination. Only 36.2 of Hispanics (13,304 people) have had one shot. Another 10,858 people who have had one COVID-19 shot are listed as “unknown” ethnicity.

The county logged 3,129 new positive “breakthrough” cases for the week ending Sunday, January 9, 2022. Once again, the numbers show that people who were vaccinated were far more likely to avoid hospitalization and death.

Here’s the “funnel” for the 3,129 confirmed new COVID-19 cases last week:

  • 3,703 were unvaccinated
  • 103 were partially vaccinated
  • 830 were fully vaccinated
  • 153 were vaxxed and boosted
  • Out of those 3,129 cases, 82 were hospitalized
  • 68 of the hospitalized people were unvaccinated
  • 5 were partially vaccinated
  • 21 were fully vaccinated
  • 4 were vaxxed and boosted
  • Of the 82 people hospitalized last week, 3 died
  • All 3 of the people who died were unvaccinated

That means Clayton County has had 46,032 cases since the pandemic began. Of those, at least 753 people have died. Of those who have died:

  • 474 were Black
  • 194 were white
  • 42 were listed as “other”
  • 34 were Asian
  • 10 were listed as “unknown”

On average, 46% of PCR tests came back positive for COVID-19 last week.

Last week, here’s where the most cases of COVID-19 were found:

  • Jonesboro: 932
  • Riverdale: 399
  • Forest Park: 322
  • Morrow: 371
  • Rex: 293
  • Hampton: 269
  • Ellenwood: 252
  • Atlanta in Clayton County: 122

Hot spots since the pandemic began include Jonesboro (30.6% of Clayton County cases), Riverdale (19.7%), Forest Park )(9%), Morrow (8.8%), and Rex (7.1%).

The top ten hot spots by zip code in the last two weeks (in terms of number of cases) include:

  1. 30236 (989, up from 396)
  2. 30238 (869, up from 375)
  3. 30260 (631, up fro 228)
  4. 30273 (629, up from 196)
  5. 30297 (594, up fro 171)
  6. 30228 (554, up from 213)
  7. 30294 (503, up from 162)
  8. 30274 (490, up fro 223)
  9. 30349 (395, up from 198)
  10. 30296 (368, up from 183)

If you have concerns about whether vaccination is right for you, please consult with your personal health care provider or call the Clayton County Health District at (678) 479-2223. You also can schedule a vaccination appointment for COVID-19 and/or flu.

If you need to get tested, please register online. You don’t need an appointment, but you do have to register. Test site hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

If you know someone who needs to get tested but doesn’t have computer or smartphone access, have them call (844) 625-6522, then press option 3.

 

 

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