100 Million Americans Now Fully Vaccinated—But Here's Why The Pandemic Might Continue - Forbes

Topline

More than 100 million Americans have now been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the CDC—a major milestone for the U.S. that comes well ahead of schedule—but a sudden dropoff in the vaccination rate could mean a large number of people may not ever get the vaccination, making it impossible to eradicate the virus.

Key Facts

Around 55% of U.S. adults have now received at least one shot, meaning the number of fully vaccinated will continue to steadily rise as second doses are administered.

After an initial rush for shots, vaccine demand has waned—even though all U.S. adults are now eligible to receive a Covid vaccine.

The 7-day rolling average for shots administered in the U.S. has dropped below 2.5 million, according to the CDC—down significantly from a high of more than 3.2 million on April 11.

Big Number

47.7%. That's the percentage of Americans who are still unvaccinated that said they're likely to get a shot, according to the latest Household Pulse Survey from the Census Bureau.

What To Watch For

States and localities are moving ahead with easing restrictions and lifting mask mandates, despite warnings from federal health officials that it is far too early to do so. Officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci have especially emphasized mask wearing and social distancing need to continue while indoors, as contagious new variants keep spreading. 

Key Background

President Joe Biden initially set a goal of having 100 million shots in Americans' arms by his 100th day in office, but the U.S. blew by that mark—more than doubling it. Over 237 million shots have now been administered, with "fully vaccinated" being defined as two weeks after someone receives a second dose of either Pfizer or Moderna or the single-dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. With around 30% of the population fully vaccinated, the U.S. is ahead of most other major countries in terms of vaccinations, such as the U.K. (21% fully vaccinated) and France (10% fully vaccinated). Only a handful of countries are ahead, like Israel (56%) and Chile (34%). But health experts have repeatedly emphasized widespread vaccinations are the only way to end the pandemic because it will create a level of herd immunity that will end Covid’s ability to spread widely.

Tangent

Vaccine hesitancy appears heavily divided along partisan lines. Polls have found Republicans and those who voted for Donald Trump are among the most likely to refuse to get vaccinated.

Further Reading

Here Are The Groups Who Don’t Want A Vaccine—And Trump Voters Are Near Top (Forbes)

Covid vaccinations are slowing in the U.S. as supply outstrips demand. How states are targeting who’s left (CNBC)

Fully Vaccinated Americans No Longer Need To Wear Masks Outside Except In Crowded Settings, CDC Says (Forbes)

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100 Million Americans Now Fully Vaccinated—But Here's Why The Pandemic Might Continue - Forbes
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