Vaccination Completion Rates in the US and Israel Lower Than 'Latecomers' Korea and France

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The vaccination completion rates in the United States and Israel, considered leading countries in vaccine administration, have been found to lag behind those of South Korea, Japan, and France.

The New York Times (NYT) reported this on the 24th (local time), citing the international statistics site 'Our World in Data.'

As of this date, the proportion of fully vaccinated individuals in the United States and Israel stands at 56.61% and 64.99%, respectively. These figures are lower than those of latecomers such as Portugal (86.82%), South Korea (70.12%), Japan (68.97%), and France (67.50%).

Until early July this year, 67% of the U.S. population had received at least one dose, leading most countries in vaccination rates. NYT explained the stagnation in vaccination rates by stating, "There is strong vaccine hesitancy among certain occupational groups such as police officers and firefighters."

U.S. health experts attribute this to a combination of misinformation, a poor political environment, and communication confusion by authorities.

John Schwartzberg, a professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, said, "Social media spreads baseless rumors about vaccines, and the government’s failure to manage vaccination messaging is a factor in the stagnation of vaccination rates." Michael Roger, deputy director of the Emerging Pathogens Research Institute at the University of Florida, also pointed out, "Distrust of authorities and officials, as well as deepening political polarization, also play a role."

Israel, which quickly rolled out vaccines at the end of last year and once declared near herd immunity first in the world, is also experiencing continued stagnation in vaccination rates. NYT stated, "Vaccination refusal among Arabs, Orthodox Jews, and younger age groups results in a lower proportion of fully vaccinated individuals compared to over 40 countries including South Korea and Italy."

Portugal has the highest proportion of fully vaccinated people worldwide, followed by the United Arab Emirates (86.02%). The country with the highest number of vaccine doses administered is China (approximately 2.2 billion doses), followed by India (approximately 1 billion doses) and the United States (411 million doses).