LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Several vaccination-related numbers stand out as disappointing for Louisville's Chief Health Strategist. 

What You Need To Know

  • 38% of Jefferson County residents are vaccinated

  • Adults 20-44 years old are the least vaccinated adults

  • Adults 20-44 years old also account for most new COVID-19 cases

  • 2/3 of new cases are COVID-19 variants

 

The Fourth of July holiday will be here faster than most of us think. UofL Health Chief Medical Official Dr. Jason Smith says how residents respond over the next month may have a large impact on the community later this year. 

“If we don’t take it seriously and we kind of throw off all the restrictions and do not get vaccinated in the next month of so then I think it’s going to be a rough fall," Dr. Smith said during a COVID-19 update facilitated by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. 

According the Metro Health Department, 38% of Jefferson County is vaccinated, a number Chief Health Strategist Dr. Sarah Moyer is "definitely frustrated," over. 

“Until we can get that number up none of us are truly safe," Dr. Moyer said. Moyer also reported less than 20% of 20-44 year olds are not vaccinated and that same demographic makes up the majority of new COVID-19 cases. The good news is the number of residents getting their first vaccine shot went up last week but ultimately Jefferson County and Kentucky is lagging behind more than half all other states in percentage of residents vaccinated. 

“Happy to do education events, talk to your employees, really trying to get that number up," Dr. Moyer added.

Louisville is closing its mass vaccination site May 28 (Spectrum News 1/Jonathon Gregg)

Pres. Joe Biden set the goal of having 70% of adult Americans vaccinated by Independence Day. This week UofL Health announced the final day of the mass vaccination site near Cardinal Stadium in Louisville will close May 28. The vaccine isn't going away in fact Dr. Moyer says there plenty of it. If demand was greater the commonwealth would be on the fast track to hitting herd immunity before July Fourth. Of course Dr. Moyer says Kentucky will hit herd immunity one way or another. 

“I think we will reach herd immunity whether it’s by people getting COVID-19, the disease or getting vaccinated. I always prefer people getting vaccinated, because one, you have a stronger fighting power against the variants.”

The Metro Health Department reports 2/3 of all new COVID-19 cases are from variants. 

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