Coronavirus: US on track for July 4 vaccination target, says CDC

The US is on track to reach a target calling for 70 per cent of adults to have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by July 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

New CDC data released on Saturday indicates that more that half of all adults in the US, or more than 51 per cent, are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, marking another milestone in the country's pandemic recovery, reports dpa news agency.

Some 167.2 million people 18 years or older have received at least one dose, according to the CDC data.

President Joe Biden set a goal earlier this month of hitting the first milestone by July 4, when Independence Day is celebrated.

The target was expected to be reached hit, with the number standing at 61 per cent more than a month out.

Still, the pace of vaccinations varies across the country, with the north-east and west coast among the regions with the highest take up while the south has moved more slowly.

The CDC indicated that speaking of the entire US population of some 330 million, around 40 per cent of the population are already fully vaccinated now.

Three vaccines are in use in the US: the two manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, which are administered in two doses, as well as the single-shot Johnson & Johnson jab.

This month, US authorities extended the authorization of Pfizer/BioNTech's shot to children as young as 12.

--IANS

ksk/