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Vaccination rates fall off, imperiling Biden’s July Fourth goal

The ‘last mile’ of delivering coronavirus shots has become a marathon, with health officials showing up at stores, parks and factories to entice people who might not go to vaccination sites.

Plummeting vaccination rates have turned what officials hoped would be the “last mile” of the coronavirus immunization campaign into a marathon, threatening President Biden’s goal of getting shots to at least 70 percent of adults by July 4.

The United States is averaging fewer than 1 million shots per day, a decline of more than two-thirds from the peak of 3.4 million in April, according to The Washington Post’s seven-day analysis, even though all adults and children over age 12 are now eligible.

Small armies of health workers and volunteers often outnumber the people showing up to get shots at clinics around the country, from a drive-through site in Chattanooga, Tenn., to a gymnasium in Provo, Utah, or a park in Raleigh, N.C.

The slowdown is national — with every state down at least two-thirds from its peak — and particularly felt across the South and Midwest. Twelve states, including Utah, Oklahoma, Montana, the Dakotas and West Virginia, have seen vaccinations fall below 15 daily shots per 10,000 residents; Alabama had just four people per 10,000 residents get vaccinated last week.

But the picture varies considerably across the country: Thirteen mostly East and West Coast states have already vaccinated 70 percent of adult residents, and another 15 states, plus the District of Columbia, are over 60 percent and will likely reach Biden’s goal.

The rest are lagging behind. Tennessee and five other states are at 50 percent or below and vaccinating at such low rates that meeting the president’s threshold is very unlikely.

The steep decline began in mid-April, coinciding with federal officials’ temporary suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while they probed rare blood-clotting reactions. That slowdown has continued, with only 2.4 million adults getting their first shot last week. Officials must get a first dose to 4.2 million adults per week to meet Biden’s goal of ensuring that 70 percent of adults are at least partially vaccinated by Independence Day.

Complicating the push: Health officials have already reached the “low-hanging fruit — those people who absolutely want to get vaccinated without you telling them anything,” Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious-diseases expert, said on a White House-organized call with community leaders on Friday. “You’re left with a group that you may need … trusted messengers who go out there and explain to them why it’s critical for themselves, for their family.”

Polls have found that about one-third of Americans have no immediate plans to get vaccinated, with some holdouts saying their skepticism has intensified over time and others arguing the issue is moot because the pandemic has receded in the United States. Public health experts say the nation needs widespread immunity to prevent a resurgence of cases later this year.

The slowdown has prompted a flurry of advertising, lotteries and promotions to win over holdouts, even as the list of incentives for people getting shots has ballooned almost to the point of parody. West Virginia officials are offering a chance to win rifles. Multiple businesses have promised treats like free beer, doughnuts and marijuana. Residents of several states now compete for million-dollar cash prizes in special lotteries.

Recognizing the challenge — and the risk of missing the goal — Biden officials have mobilized thousands of organizations and volunteers.

“We need to bring the vaccines to where people are and answer the questions that people have,” Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, told reporters on Thursday. “And we are confident that more and more people will get vaccinated, leading up to the Fourth of July.”

The White House last week announced a “month of action” with an array of initiatives, including a partnership with Black-owned barbershops and salons to raise awareness of the vaccines, a “Mayors Challenge” for 79 cities to compete on vaccination rates, and free child care for those getting the shots. It also lined up more than 2,000 events this weekend across every state, tapping community groups, advocacy organizations and celebrities like singer Ciara, athlete Russell Wilson and comedians Desus and Mero to trumpet pro-vaccination messages, a White House spokesperson said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/06/06/vaccination-rates-decline-us/