Iowa Turning Down 71 Percent of COVID-19 Vaccines

DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa is turning down 71 percent of the COVID-19 vaccines it could have received for the upcoming week.

The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Department of Public Health says 88 of the state's 99 counties won't need part or all of their weekly allotment.

Demand for COVID -19 vaccines peaked in early April, after the state opened eligibility to everyone 16 or older, but has dropped every week since.

About half of all Iowa adults are fully vaccinated for the virus.

Some pharmacies, including Hy-Vee, are now offering walk-in vaccines just weeks after people were scrambling to find hard to get appointments,

Eighty of 99 counties are turning down part or all of their doses this week, up from 43 in the previous week.

Governor Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that she's set a goal of vaccinating 65 percent of Iowa adults by the end of May and 75 percent in June.

She floated the idea of offering vaccine clinics at baseball games and farmer's markets.

Since then, the Iowa Cubs announced they're teaming up with Hy-Vee to have shots available at its games in Des Moines.

The team and Hy-Vee hope to have the mobile clinic up and running for opening day on Tuesday.


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