Percent Of COVID-Vaccinated Summit Residents Rises, Cases Low

SUMMIT, NJ — The percentage of Summit residents vaccinated continues to climb, as coronavirus cases in town drop to numbers not seen since late last summer.

The Regional Health Department reported Friday that there were only 6 positive, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Summit from May 13 through this past Thursday.

Age breakdowns of reported cases were:

• 2 cases aged 18 and younger;
• 1 case aged 20 to 24;
• 1 case aged 45 to 49; and
• 2 cases aged 50 to 54.

Total: 6 new cases

Since March 2020, there have been 1,772 total cases and 25 COVID-19-related fatalities in Summit. Total case numbers are updated and adjusted weekly following contact tracing interviews.

The city said on Friday, "Infection activity remains at a low level of transmission in Summit. The State of NJ remains at a decreasing but moderate level of transmission. Union County saw an average of 30 new COVID-19 cases each day, no change from last week."

Updated Vaccination Numbers From The State

As of numbers updated by the state of New Jersey on Friday afternoon, 55 percent of all Summit residents are fully vaccinated. However, that number includes children under 12, who are not yet eligible for the vaccine. As far as people 18 and over, 74 percent have been vaccinated. For residents 65 and over, 86 percent are fully vaccinated.

The CDC said this month that people can consider themselves "fully vaccinated" and protected two weeks after their final shot.

What percentage of Summit residents are on their way to full vaccination, having received one dose of the vaccine? Two-thirds of all residents, or 66 percent, have received one shot. Of residents over 18, 85 percent have received one shot, and the percent for those over 65 climbed to 92 percent.

These numbers are up slightly from those reported by the city as of Thursday, May 20, which showed 91 percent of seniors having gotten one shot.

Studies have shown that the vaccine is at least 95 percent effective against the virus, and among those who still get it, it will reduce the chance of hospitalization and death.

As of Friday, 589,000 Americans have died of the virus. You can see which states had the highest death toll in the past week on this CDC map, and see how each county is doing with this CDC link.

Other Information

Last month, a CDC Panel recommended resuming the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after reviewing reports of 13 women getting blood clots — three fatal — out of 7.98 million receiving the shot. The shot will now come with a warning.

While the number of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from the virus as been declining, many people are just starting to get vaccinated, including teens. READ MORE: FDA Approves COVID Vaccine For Kids 12+: What It Means In NJ

The state's daily death toll has not yet declined to the level of Sept. 8, when only 2 deaths were reported in one day, after a summer of lockdowns.

A week ago Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy Tweeted a positive update:

For the first time in over six months, our number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 has fallen below 1,000. With our numbers trending in the right direction, we can continue fighting back against this virus if we all get vaccinated. — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 13, 2021

New Jersey's peak daily death toll on April 30, 2020 was 460 fatalities reported in one day. On Sept. 8, only 2 deaths were reported in one day.

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