With the US on track to hit 100 million vaccine doses administered under President Biden’s tenure, health officials are addressing some of the shortcomings of the previous administration’s disjointed vaccine rollout. Among them, a lack of centralized control, disparate plans implemented across the country, and poor communication of progress toward goals.
A new study finds that COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces the number of people who develop symptomatic cases, with the vaccine’s effectiveness reaching 94% in the under-5 age group. It also neutralized the virus’s 2 variants that appeared after the original strain emerged, Reuters reports.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that the vaccine can alleviate lingering symptoms. In a poll of 962 people with long-term COVID-19 symptoms, 39% said those symptoms diminished or completely disappeared after vaccination. The administration has stepped up its PR campaign to boost confidence in approved COVID-19 vaccines, including a targeted push for young people and conservatives.
Vaccines are in short supply in many locations, and the CDC’s latest figures indicate that the uptake rate among those covered by Medicaid is much lower than for non-Medicaid enrollees. Experts attribute this to a combination of barriers, including lack of accessible transportation and flexible work schedules.
The CDC’s Rochelle Walensky argues that the slowdown in vaccine distribution is “not sustainable,” and that expanding eligibility for the shots will help speed things up. In the meantime, she says, CDC is working to ensure that states have the resources they need for their local vaccination efforts.
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