The number of Putnam residents fully vaccinated for the Covid-19 virus jumped from 11,572 on Monday, April 12, to 12,865 on Tuesday, April 13. The single day surge can be traced to the Putnam County Health Department’s clinic held at the National Guard Armory in Eleanor on Saturday, March 13.

To date, 22.8% of county residents are fully vaccinated for the disease and 37.0% are partially vaccinated.
Statewide, 24.7% are fully vaccinated and 35.1% have received first shots.

Putnam’s fully vaccinated numbers are slated to surpass the state average during the first week of May. According to DHHR records, the county’s number of partially vaccinated residents trailed the state average from the beginning of the vaccinations until April 9.

While the number fully vaccinated has increased, the severity of the virus has not lessened. The number of active cases in the county increased from 241 on March 19 to 322 on April 12.

On Tuesday, April 13, the DHHR recorded Putnam’s infection rate to be 18.22 per 1,000 population. This rate is determined by dividing the number of new cases in the previous seven days by 56,450 (Putnam’s population). The number of residents who are susceptible to the virus has been lessened by the number which have been fully vaccinated. If those fully vaccinated are removed from the infection rate calculation, the county’s actual infection rate increases from 18.22 per 1,000 to 23.60 per 1,000.

When the COVID-Alert Map was developed, an infection rate of 23.60 was assigned an orange color (second only to red in severity). Putnam is currently showing yellow (mild severity) on the DHHR map because of its 3.91 percent positivity on tests in a 7-day period.

The Putnam County Health Department continues to offer COVID-19 testing opportunities. Residents can register for an appointment online at bit.ly/pchd-covid or call (304) 757-2541.