After several weeks of lagging rates, the pace of U.S. COVID-19 vaccinations has come roaring back to life.
More than one million Americans received a COVID-19 vaccine in the last 24 hours, which is highest single-day total in seven weeks.
Of those shots, more than half were people getting their first dose of a two-dose vaccine.
What’s more, several states that are seeing the highest uptake in shots are among those with the worst surges in Covid cases, such as Florida and Louisiana.
On Thursday, the U.S. recorded more than one million COVID-19 vaccines administered, the highest single-day total seen since July 3 (above)
Of that figure, 562,000 were people getting their first dose of a two-dose series, according to White House official Cyrus Shahpar (above)
The upticks come due to fear of the Indian ‘Delta’ variant and governments and businesses requiring vaccinations for workers and customers. Pictured: Diana Meyers get a third dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Pasadena, California, August 19
After millions of Americans lined up to wait for their turn to be vaccinated in the winter and spring, the pace slowed down in the summer.
However, a mix of fear due the spread over the Indian ‘Delta’ variant and vaccination mandates from governments and businesses have caused demand to increase again.
On Thursday, the U.S. reported 1,023,545 new doses administered in a single day, which is the most seen since July 3 when 1,161,081 doses were administered.
This number includes 562,000 first doses according to White House Covid Data Director Cyrus Shahpar.
‘First 1M day reported in nearly seven weeks!’ he tweeted on Thursday.
‘[Thirty one percent] week-over week increase in the daily average of people completing their vaccine series, maximizing their protection against Delta.’
President Joe Biden encouraged Americans to keep getting vaccinated in a tweet on Thursday
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that some states seeing disproportionately high case rates are also seeing their vaccination rates rise to their highest levels in months.
In Florida, the seven-day average of vaccines administered sits at 78,137, the highest number seen since June 23.
And in Louisiana, officials report a seven-day average of 20,642 per day, which is a figure not seen since May 12.
President Joe Biden also heralded the good news and urged Americans to keep getting shots in arms.
‘We have administered over one million COVID-19 vaccine doses in the past 24 hours – that’s the highest number in seven weeks,’ he tweeted on Thursday.
‘If you haven’t yet, please get vaccinated. Let’s keep this momentum going and defeat COVID-19.’
In Florida, the seven-day average of vaccines administered sits at 78,137, the highest number seen since June 23 (above)
In Louisiana, officials report a seven-day average of 20,642 per day, which is a figure not seen since May 12 (above)
It comes one day after the White House said it is planning to make COVID-19 vaccine booster shots available to all Americans – not just those with compromised immune systems.
Three studies, published by the CDC on the same day, suggested the vaccines protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death but lose effectiveness against mild and moderate illness.
Adults over age 18 of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine will be eligible to received a third dose eight months after their final shot starting the week of September 20.
The decision is pending approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a recommendation from the CDC’s advisory committee.
During an interview with Good Morning America on Thursday, Biden said that he and First Lady Jill Biden plan on receiving booster shots.
‘We’re gonna get the booster shots. And it’s something that I think – you know, because we got our shots all the way back in I think December,’ Biden told host George Stephanopoulos.
‘So it’s past time…Yes, we will get the booster shots.’
