The Louisiana Department of Health is reporting that more than 1.5 million Louisianans are currently fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but the chances of the state making the nation’s 70 percent vaccinated goal by July 4 are slim.

As of Saturday, 1,516, 551 residents have completed a course of vaccinations, with 1,692,225 having started the treatment. The state has administered 3,095,453 doses so far.

Local vaccinations

In Iberia Parish, 26.4 percent of the population is currently vaccinated, or 19,151 or 72,691 residents. In St. Martin, the percentage is 26.7, or 14,330 of 53,752.

In St. Mary Parish, the percentage is slightly higher, at 26.8 percent, or 13,858, of the 51,734 residents already vaccinated.

Currently, LDH is using the state’s 2018 census data for its population estimates.

Percentage vaccinated by age

The percentage of the statewide population already fully vaccinated increases with age. Only the 70 and above age group has crossed the 70 percent goal set for July 4.

Taking the full population of 4,221,372 that the state is using on its vaccination by age group statistics into account, only 35 percent are fully vaccinated. Of the adult population (those 18 and above), the percentage is 46.8 percent.

Vaccination is currently open only to those 12 years of age or older, so the percentage of those 17 and under who have completed the vaccine regimen is only 1.7 percent, or 18,849. There are 17,162 people who have received the first stage of the vaccine in that age group.

The 18 to 29 age group is not progressing much better. There are 144,240 residents, or 18.3 percent, who have been fully vaccinated, and 28,750 who received the first half. But 617,307 have yet to begin receiving the vaccine.

In the 30 to 39 age group, barely more than a quarter, 167,951, or 26.2 percent, have been fully vaccinated. Another 4 percent have had the first shot of the vaccine.

The 40 to 49 age group is at 34.1 percent vaccinated, with 189,429 people fully protected. Another 25,097 have had the first phase of the vaccine regimen.

The 50 to 59 age group is still below 50 percent, at 42.6 percent, with 262,359 people completely vaccinated. Another 26,892 have taken one dose of a two-shot vaccine treatment.

Between 60 and 69, there have been 337,449, or 64.6 percent, of the state’s residents vaccinated, with another 23,170 who have have the first dose of a vaccine.

Of the 442,244 people who make up the state’s 70 and above population, 356,395, or 80.6 percent, are fully vaccinated, with 17,910 having received their first stage of a COVID-19 vaccination. Only 67,939 remain unvaccinated.

COVID-19 numbers dropping

The latest data from LDH showed the state with 227 new cases Friday after 14,006 reported tests. That puts the rough positivity rate at 1.6 percent.

The new cases pushed the state’s total of identified cases to 475,354. Of the overall identified cases, 401,672 are confirmed, with 73,682 listed as possible cases.

Louisiana had 10,648 total COVID-19 deaths as of Friday, with 10 new deaths added. Of the total deaths, 9,651 are confirmed COVID-19 deaths, with 997 considered probable COVID-19 fatalities pending final testing.

The average age of fatal patients was at 74, while the median age remained at 76, as of June 2.

Local cases

In Iberia Parish, the number of cases rose by four on Friday, to 7,337. Of those, 6,643 are confirmed, with 694 probable. The number of deaths remained at 159, with 142 confirmed and 17 probable. There have been 102,977 tests performed in the parish. The seven-day average test positivity rose 17.5 percent, from 4 percent on May 19 to 4.7 percent on May 26. The incidence of tests also rose 8.6 percent, from 69.1 per 10,000 population on May 12 to 74.7 on May 26.

St. Martin Parish’s number of identified cases rose by five, to 5,475, with 71,908 tests performed. The seven-day average test positivity rate dropped from 7 percent on May 19 to 6.7 percent on May 26, a 4.3 percent decrease, while the testing incidence rate per 10,000 population dropped 22.5 percent, from 70.9 on May 19 to 91.4 on May 26. The number of deaths remained at 118, with 107 confirmed and 11 probable.

In St. Mary Parish, the seven-day positivity rate dropped to 4.8 percent as of May 26, down from 6 percent on May 19, a 20 percent decrease. The testing incidence rate per 10,000 population rose from 72.3 on May 19 to 92.4 on May 26, a 27.8 percent increase. Total cases Thursday rose to 4,930 after 63,458 tests. Of those positive tests, 3,773 are confirmed, with 1,157 probable. The number of COVID-19 deaths was at 141, with 121 confirmed and 20 probable.