Biden Urges Vaccination, Saying "70% of Adults Vaccinated, Still a Long Way to Go"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden has encouraged vaccination, stating that although 70% of adults in the U.S. have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, "there is still a long way to go." This comes as vaccination rates have stalled due to increasing vaccine hesitancy and distrust, while the Delta variant is rapidly spreading.

On the 2nd (local time), President Biden tweeted, "Reaching 70% of adults with at least one vaccine dose is an incredible milestone, but we still have a long way to go," emphasizing, "Those who have not yet been vaccinated must get vaccinated." The active encouragement for vaccination is seen as a response to the significant spread of the Delta variant, especially in southern states like Florida and Texas where vaccine refusal is high.

According to U.S. political media outlet The Hill, daily vaccinations in the U.S. reached 3 million doses in April but have since dropped to an average of 700,000 to 800,000 doses. The White House reported 816,000 vaccine doses administered as of the 1st. The sharp decline in vaccination rates is attributed to the spread of various fake news and conspiracy theories, which have fueled vaccine phobia.

While CDC data shows that over 70% of adults have received at least one vaccine dose, experts point out that this is only the minimum target. Dr. Natasha Buyan, a family medicine specialist at Phoenix One Medical Hospital, warned, "Areas with only 40-50% vaccination rates can become hotspots for COVID-19 spread," adding, "We can celebrate 70% of adults having at least one dose, but caution is necessary."

The Washington Post (WP) also reported, "The spread of the Delta variant has led to an unusual trend of increasing COVID-19 cases alongside rising vaccination numbers," noting, "The Delta variant has spread mainly among the unvaccinated, and the rising number of COVID-19 patients appears to be encouraging more vaccinations."

Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has surpassed 35 million amid the spread of the Delta variant. According to Johns Hopkins University's COVID-19 data, as of today, the U.S. has recorded 35,131,393 cumulative cases and 613,679 cumulative deaths.