The United States continues to make progress in the massive effort to vaccinate people against COVID-19. As of April 7, 25% of adults in the U.S. have been fully immunized, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The CDC data shows that one-third of adults have received their first inoculation. Three-fourths of adults over the age of 65, who are considered to be at higher risk of severe coronavirus infections, have received their first shot, and nearly 58% are fully vaccinated.
Several states are leading the country in vaccinations, including New Mexico, South Dakota, and Alaska, which all boast vaccination rates of more than 30%.
The U.S. still has a ways to go until herd immunity is reached. Scientists estimate that between 70-80% of the population must either be vaccinated or have natural immunity against the coronavirus for herd immunity to be achieved.
Reaching herd immunity will get easier as more people become eligible for the vaccine. By April 19, all states are expected to make all adults eligible to receive a vaccine.
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