Half of US Adults Have Received at Least One COVID-19 Vaccine Dose... Covered by Pfizer and Moderna

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] About half of adults in the United States have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. At the current pace, most adults are expected to be fully vaccinated by the end of July, according to the Biden administration's plan, reaching a vaccination rate sufficient for herd immunity. Although concerns about blood clot side effects and temporary suspension of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine have been raised, most vaccinations in the U.S. use Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, so the vaccination speed is unlikely to be significantly affected.

According to CNN and other foreign media on the 17th (local time), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that as of that morning, approximately 128.32 million adults aged 18 and over, or about 49.7%, have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Notably, 44.16 million seniors aged 65 and over, or 80.7%, have received at least one dose.

The number of adults aged 18 and over who have completed the two-dose vaccination required for immunity is 82.2 million, accounting for 31.8% of the total population, while 65.3% of seniors aged 65 and over have completed the two-dose vaccination. Overall, 39% of the total population has received at least one dose, and 24.8% have completed two doses.

Earlier, concerns about supply shortages arose after the J&J vaccine was temporarily suspended due to deaths caused by blood clot side effects, but the CDC stated that the situation can be managed with sufficient supplies of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. So far, 107.08 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered, the highest number, followed by 90.71 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. Approximately 7.9 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered.

Until now, priority for vaccination has been given to healthcare workers, seniors, and people with underlying conditions, but starting from the 19th, all adults will be eligible for vaccination, which is expected to accelerate the vaccination pace. At the current trend, it is anticipated that all adults in the U.S. will be fully vaccinated by the end of July.