FAU

Cases are slightly down at the university, with 10 active cases reported as of Oct. 28, compared to 13 active cases the week prior. Of the 10 cases at FAU, six are students and four are employees.

All cases are on the Boca Raton campus. The cumulative case count for Fall 2021 is now 467, with 89.5% of all cumulative fall cases occurring on the Boca Raton campus.

The vaccine incentive program ends this Sunday, Oct. 31. Students and faculty that get vaccinated through the program will receive a $150 Visa gift card. There are no plans for another vaccine incentive program after the current one expires.

Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County is averaging 143 new cases per day, according to New York Times data. This is a 42% decrease in average daily cases from the previous two weeks.The county remains in the “high risk” category.

The risk level is based on the chances of an unvaccinated person contracting COVID-19, and is based on cases and test positivity in the county. Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, just to the south of PBC, are in the “very high risk” category.

Vaccination rates have remained steady; 60% of PBC residents are fully vaccinated, the same number reported on Oct. 21.

Florida

Florida now has the lowest average daily cases per capita in the United States, according to The Sun Sentinel. An average of eight new cases per 100,000 are reported in the state, according to the data.

Vaccinations have remained steady in the state as well. For the second straight week, 59% of Florida residents are fully vaccinated. Children and teenagers’ rates have gone up. Children ages 12 and up are 68% fully vaccinated, and 79% of people in the age group have received at least one dose. People 65 and older have high vaccination marks as well, with 98% of those in the age bracket receiving one dose, and 85% deemed fully vaccinated.

Florida is averaging 1,765 cases per day, a 38% decrease from the previous two weeks. Gov. Ron DeSantis made headlines on Monday, Oct. 25, when he said he planned to offer $5,000 bonuses to police officers that relocated to Florida. Some cities and police unions have clashed as vaccine mandates for police officers take effect. Some unions and officers have filed lawsuits to fight the mandates.

Gov. DeSantis said on Monday that the $5,000 incentive was not related to the vaccine mandates in other states, but did say that he did “not think police officers should be fired for shots,” according to CNN. DeSantis has criticized mandates in the past, and his new surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, criticized vaccines and mandates last week.

Michael Gennaro is a staff writer and social media manager for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or message him on Twitter or Instagram @mycoolgennaro