1,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Pinellas County

Pinellas County reached a grim milestone Tuesday, recording 1,000 deaths from Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The people who lost their lives to the virus were much more than just statistics. They were grandparents. Sisters. Fathers. Best friends. Veterans. Loved ones who will be missed by their families this holiday season and for years to come. We’re featuring just a few of them in this story.

That pain extends to the countless others who lost family and friends to other causes and were unable to see them in their final days.

And also to those who couldn’t gather to celebrate the lives of their loved ones due to Covid safety protocols.

Although public health officials have urged people not to travel during the holiday season to limit the spread of Covid, the numbers still continue to climb. As of Tuesday, Pinellas County now has a total of 41,280 confirmed cases of the virus, with a two-week percent positivity rate of 7.34 percent. 

Just over 3,170 people – or eight percent of all Covid cases – have resulted in hospitalization. As of Tuesday afternoon, Pinellas County hospitals reported 263 patients with a primary diagnosis of Covid-19 with 19.6 percent of total hospital beds and 23.2 percent of ICU beds available countywide. 

On a more hopeful note, more than 3,800 people have received a Covid-19 vaccine in Pinellas County since vaccinations began last week, according to the health department. They are currently earmarked for frontline healthcare workers and residents and staff at long-term care facilities. The next group to receive them include elderly residents as well as those who may have significant comorbidities that put them at high risk for complications from the virus.

Until the vaccines become more widely available – which could still be months away – health experts and local leaders continue to stress the importance of following Covid mitigation protocols.  

“At this time of year, people want to relax. They want to go visit their families. They want to believe it’s going to be over soon, but we won’t be vaccinated for at least six months,” Pinellas County Board of County Commission chair Pat Gerard said at a virtual meeting with elected officials from around Tampa Bay. “We just need to hang in there a bit longer. I think we can have a huge impact if people will just wear their masks, stay home when they don’t need to go out and stay away from people who aren’t part of their family.”