Update on U.S. Covid-19 Vaccinations
The U.S. got a head start on the rest of the world on developing vaccines and was among the first to begin to vaccinate its population.
As of April 8, 2021, about 20% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated. Estimates indicate that at least 70% of the population will need to be vaccinated to control the virus. Some studies indicate that 80% or even 85% of the population will need vaccinations to control it.
The animation below illustrates the vaccination rollout in the U.S. from the middle of January 2021 through April 8, 2021. The area of the rectangle for each state is proportional to its population.
Individual states vary in the population that has been fully vaccinated. Some states are as low as 15% and others as high as 25% fully vaccinated. Variations are due to a variety of factors including allocation from the federal government, inefficiencies and inconsistencies between state health departments, population density, and more.
Select a state in the dropdown box below to see how it compares to others.
Sorry, but the dropdown does not work on most mobile devices.
The chart below shows the fraction of the U.S. population that is fully vaccinated with time (in green) along with a simple forecast (red dotted line). The forecast is based on an average number of people who have become fully vaccinated over the week prior to the end of the data.
If the U.S maintains its current trend, it will not achieve the minimum 70% goal that many think is needed until late July. Several things can improve the trend including increased vaccine production and more efficient vaccine distribution. Many things can make the trend worse including vaccine manufacturing problems and push-back from members of fringe groups who fear or oppose vaccinations.