The race to vaccinate the U.S. continues as states push to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of partially vaccinating 70% of American adults by July 4, reports Axios.
- Currently, 64.5% of American adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to data from the CDC.
Some states have pulled far ahead of Biden’s goal while others continue to lag, reported The New York Times. Here are the most and least vaccinated states in the U.S.
Vermont: The most vaccinated state
As of Monday, over 80% of all Vermonters over the age of 12 have received at least one dose and 62% of the population has received two doses. The state became the first to reach this milestone and will now drop all COVID-19 restrictions, reported Axios. Individual businesses can still choose whether or not to require masks.
- Beginning Tuesday, Vermont will officially end its state of emergency, reported The New York Times.
- The state has not declared herd immunity and will continue vaccination efforts, said The Wall Street Journal.
Vermont’s vaccination efforts have been aided by the state’s demographics. Vermont’s population is largely white, aging and liberal — a population least hesitant to get vaccinated, reported The Wall Street Journal.
- Public trust in health officials remained higher than average among Vermonters, reported The Wall Street Journal.
On June 15, the state’s 14-day changes showed that new cases had fallen by 47% and hospitalization had fallen by 81%, according to data from The New York Times.
Mississippi: The least vaccinated state
As of Monday, only 26.3% of Mississippi's eligible population have received at least one vaccine dose, according to data from John Hopkins University. Health officials have pointed to increased vaccination complacency and a drop in demand among Mississippians, said The Sun Herald.
- Early on in Mississippi’s vaccination campaign, vaccination rates lagged among Black residents, but the state has now mitigated these racial disparities, reported The Sun Herald.
- Vaccination rates now lag in younger Mississippians while older residents are vaccinated at much higher rates, according to The Sun Herald.
Due to the lack of demand, Mississippi has redirected federal vaccine supplies to other states such as Maine and Rhode Island, reported Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
- Local health officials are continuing community outreach programs to encourage Mississippi residents to get vaccinated, said The Sun Herald.