HealthDay News – More than 5 million Americans have missed the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine, new government data shows.
The trend seems to be growing. According to the latest data, the number of vaccine recipients who missed their second dose is now nearly 8 percent, more than double that of people vaccinated in the first few weeks of the national vaccination campaign, the New York Times reported. Already now, millions of people are worried about getting vaccinated at all, and now local health officials are working hard to make sure those who get their first shot get their second.
Why the missed second shots? Some said they feared the side effects that can include flu-like symptoms, while others said they felt adequately protected with a single shot. But a surprising hurdle has also surfaced: A number of vaccine providers have canceled appointments for the second dose because they ran out of supplies or did not have the right brand in stock, The Times reported. Walgreens, one of the largest vaccine suppliers in the United States, sent some people who received a first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine to get their second dose at pharmacies where only the other vaccine was available, the newspaper said . Several Walgreens customers said they tried their best to get the correct second dose, but others likely gave up, the newspaper added.
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Public health officials had been concerned from the start that it might be difficult to get everyone back for their second shot, and now some state officials are trying to keep the number of partially vaccinated people from swelling. In Arkansas and Illinois, health officials have directed teams to phone, write, or send letters to people to remind them to get their second shots. In Pennsylvania, officials are trying to ensure college students can get their second admissions after leaving campus for the summer, The Times reported. South Carolina has provided several thousand cans especially for people who are overdue for their second shot.
The New York Times article
Subjects:
COVID19 General Infectious Disease General Neurology
