US wants 70% vaccinated for COVID by July 4
Print Edition
US President Joe Biden set a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one shot to 70 percent of adult Americans by July Fourth as he tackles the vexing problem of winning over the 鈥渄oubters鈥 and those unmotivated to get inoculated.
Demand for vaccines has dropped off markedly nationwide, with some states leaving more than half their available doses unordered. Aiming to make it easier to get shots, Biden on Tuesday called for states to make vaccines available on a walk-in basis and he will direct many pharmacies to do likewise.
His administration for the first time also is moving to shift doses from states with weaker demand to areas with stronger interest in the shots.
鈥淵ou do need to get vaccinated,鈥 Biden said from the White House. 鈥淓ven if your chance of getting seriously ill is low, why take the risk? It could save your life or the lives of somebody you love.鈥
Biden鈥檚 goal equates to delivering at least the first shot to 181 million adults and fully vaccinating 160 million. It鈥檚 a tacit acknowledgement of the declining interest in shots.
Already more than 56 percent of American adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 105 million are fully vaccinated. The United States is administering first doses at a rate of about 965,000 per day 鈥 half the rate of three weeks ago, but almost twice as fast as needed to meet Biden鈥檚 target.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to get it 100 percent, but I think realistically we can get to that place between now and July Fourth,鈥 Biden said of his new goal.
Acknowledging that 鈥渢he pace of vaccination is slowing,鈥 Biden predicted the inoculation effort is 鈥済oing to be harder鈥 when it comes to convincing 鈥渄oubters鈥 of the need to get their shots.
He said the most effective argument to those people would be to protect those they love. 鈥淭his is your choice: It鈥檚 life and death.鈥
Biden鈥檚 push comes as his administration has shifted away from setting a target for the US to reach 鈥渉erd immunity,鈥 instead focusing on delivering as many shots into arms as possible. Officials said Biden鈥檚 vaccination target would result in a significant reduction in COVID-19 cases heading into the northern summer.
To that end, the Biden administration is shifting the government鈥檚 focus toward expanding smaller and mobile vaccination clinics to deliver doses to harder-to-reach communities.
It is also spending hundreds of millions of dollars to try to boost interest in vaccines through education campaigns and greater access to shots through community organizations that can help bring people to clinics.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
