Larry Wiggins receives Moderna Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine from Anya Harris at the Red Hook Neighborhood Elderly Center in the Red Hood neighborhood of Brooklyn on February 22, 2021 in New York City.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
The US reported another daily record of newly administered Covid vaccine doses on Saturday, bringing the weekly average of new vaccinations per day to over 3 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The health department reported Saturday that 4.1 million new doses were administered, the highest daily mark since the Food and Drug Administration approved emergency vaccines late last year.
Around 104.2 million US citizens, or 31% of the population, have received at least one dose of vaccine, according to the CDC, while 59.9 million people, or 18% of the population, are fully vaccinated. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses for full immunity protection. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, which received limited approval in late February, is a single-shot regimen.
According to CDC data, three-quarters of US citizens age 65 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine that provides crucial protection against the disease for a vulnerable group of Americans. As of March 31, nearly 81% of the country’s Covid deaths were among people 65 and over.
The increase in daily vaccine doses is due to the increasing supply available and eligibility expanding across the country. In states like Texas, Kansas, and Ohio, everyone 16 and over can now get the vaccine.
Saturday’s vaccine milestone hits a somewhat mixed picture for coronavirus cases and deaths over the past week. According to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins University data, the 7-day average of new daily infections in the country is 64,617, up 6% from a week ago. Cases are on the rise in 26 states and Washington DC, according to CNBC’s analysis.
However, the weekly average of US deaths per day is down 12% to 847.
President Joe Biden has urged the country to remain vigilant about the spread of coronavirus, despite significant advances in the introduction of the vaccine. “Too many Americans pretend this fight is over,” said Biden on Friday. “It is not.”
Also on Friday, the CDC announced that people fully vaccinated against Covid can travel at “low risk for themselves” while continuing to emphasize the need to wear a mask and maintain physical distance.
“We continue to encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as it is their turn so we can begin to safely return to our daily lives,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky in a statement accompanying the change in guidelines. “Vaccines can help us get back to the things we love about life. That’s why we encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity.”
