Three Northeast Florida counties seeing rise in COVID-19 percent-positive rates

With a slow vaccination rollout in several Northeast Florida counties, COVID-19 cases continue to rise in three of them.

Action News Jax dug through data on the state’s website, looking at weekly percent positive trends starting on December 20th, just before the holidays, and found Baker, St. Johns, and Nassau counties have the highest rate of people testing positive for COVID-19:

→ Baker: 12.3% to 19.89%. Difference: 7.59

→ St. Johns: 11.68% to 17.56%. Difference: 5.88

→ Nassau: 14.35% to 18.64%. Difference: 4.29

Meanwhile, a St. Johns County couple told Action News Jax getting vaccinated has been anything but easy. “Thursday was the day to sign on for St. Johns County and we went on at 8:59, 9:00 and we couldn’t get an appointment,” Joan Bauman said.

Joan and her husband, Charles, say they even tried registering for appointments at the Prime Osborne center in Duval County. Joan says she finally was able to schedule an appointment, but not one for Charles just yet. “We went back in to get Charlie one and it was already filled,” Joan explained.

The couple worries as cases are on the rise.

Action News Jax found that Clay, Putnam, and Duval Counties are also seeing a slight increase in percent positive rates:

→ Clay: 15.8% to 16.48%. Difference: 0.68

→ Putnam: 14.55% to 14.72%. Difference: 0.17

→ Duval: 11.24% to 14.86%. Difference: 3.62

But it’s not all bad news. Bradford, Columbia, and Union counties are seeing a decrease in people testing positive, according to the state’s website.

Still, all Florida counties Action News Jax covers are above the targeted ten percent range for percent positive cases.

While Charles tells Action News Jax he’s happy his wife was able to get an appointment, his can’t come soon enough. “It’s like winning the lottery,” Charles said.

The two are holding out on hope as each day goes by.

Cox Media Group