Greene County reports first pediatric death from COVID-19

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department announced Greene County’s first pediatric death from COVID-19. The death occurred in August, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 61 in August, and 17 in September.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Missouri children ages 0 through 17 have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Across the U.S., more than 587 children have died from this virus. In September, cases among those age 0 to 17 made up 20.64 percent of total positives in Greene County, up from 14.75 percent in August.
The COVID-19 vaccine continues to be the best tool available for preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Children 12 to 17 are currently eligible to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is meeting later this month to assess the safety and effectiveness of this vaccine in children age 5 to 11. Parents with questions or concerns should talk to their child’s health care provider now to address them so they are ready once authorization for this age group is issued.
For those 12 and older who are already eligible, now is the time to get vaccinated. A full list of vaccine opportunities can be found at vaccine417.com or by calling the COVID-19 call center at (417) 874-1211. Private appointments can also be scheduled by calling this number. Data for September 1 - 30
Number of new COVID-19 cases: 1,754 cases compared to 3,457 in August.
Difference in seven-day average: The seven- day average on Sept. 30 was 43 cases per day, down from 76 cases per day on Aug. 31.
Difference in hospitalizations: 81 individuals were treated for COVID-19 in Springfield hospitals on Sept. 30, down from 144 on Aug. 31.
COVID-19 deaths:
*This number represents confirmed COVID-19 deaths that occurred in September. This number could change based on delayed reports.
- 17 deaths occurred in the month of September compared to 61 in August
Average age of death: 61 years in September compared to 62 years in August
Number of vaccine doses administered among Greene County residents: 11,216 doses compared to 19,095 in August
Current data
Number of hospitalizations:
- 74 hospitalizations
- 33 are Greene County residents
Number of Greene County residents unvaccinated:
 - 49.51 percent of Greene County residents 12 and older are not fully vaccinated;
 - According to the CDC, 34.6 percent of Americans 12+ are not fully vaccinated.
Cases by vaccination status (among cases where the vaccination status is known):
 - Since January, 92 percent of individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 were not
vaccinated.