The campaign to administer the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States loses momentum, sparking concern among health experts who are calling on Americans to get the extra shot to boost their protection against the omicron variant, which is highly contagious.
Just 40% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
And the average number of booster doses administered per day in the country has fallen from a high of 1 million in early December to about 490,000 as of last week.
Meanwhile, a new survey by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Americans are more likely to view initial vaccinations, rather than a booster, as essential.
“It’s clear that the booster dose campaign is falling short,” said Jason Schwartz, a vaccination policy expert at Yale University.
In general, the US vaccination campaign has been weak. More than 13 months after it began, just 63% of Americans, or 210 million people, are fully vaccinated with the initial doses. Legal challenges have stymied orders that could raise that number.
Vaccination numbers are stagnant in states like Wyoming, Idaho, Mississippi and Alabama, hovering below 50%.
In Wyoming, 44% of the population is fully vaccinated, compared to 41% in September.
To boost that number, the state has been airing television ads featuring health workers telling sad stories of unvaccinated people suffering dire consequences from COVID-19.
“We would certainly like to see higher rates. But it would be a mistake for anyone to think that the rates we have are due to a lack of effort,” said Kim Deti, a spokeswoman for the Wyoming Department of Health.
Furthermore, Vermont leads the nation in the percentage of people fully vaccinated who have received a booster dose. About 60% of the population aged 18 and over have received an additional dose. But that’s not enough, said Mark Levine, the state health commissioner.
“I would love for that percentage to be much closer to 90%,” he said.
The United States and many other countries are urging adults to get their booster doses because the protection offered by the vaccine can wane over time.
Similarly, research has shown that, although vaccines have been less effective against the omicron variant, boosters can increase the body’s defenses.
–
