Indicating reluctance towards getting inoculated, younger American adults are turning to Covid-19 vaccines at a slower rate than older adults, in what could hamper the Covid-19 vaccination coverage trajectory in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday. If the reluctance continues in the pace of vaccination till the month of August, the vaccine coverage among younger adults will not reach the level seen in older adults, the CDC pointed out.
In a bid to avoid another Covid-19 related crisis that increases the burden on health infrastructure, CDC said more work is needed to increase vaccination rates among younger adults.
About 45% of the US population has been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Over 53% of Americans have received at least one dose of vaccine. But US demand for shots has slumped, to the disappointment of public health experts.
According to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, of the 57% of American adults who received at least one vaccine dose by May 22, coverage was highest among people 65 or older and lowest among people aged 18 to 29.
The vaccination data used by CDC spans from December 14, 2020, to May 22, 2021.
The report points out that younger Americans also are more likely to be reluctant to get vaccinated because of concerns over vaccine safety and effectiveness. This has stemmed from data of household surveys conducted from March to May 2021.
{{/usCountry}}The report points out that younger Americans also are more likely to be reluctant to get vaccinated because of concerns over vaccine safety and effectiveness. This has stemmed from data of household surveys conducted from March to May 2021.
{{/usCountry}}Among the sections reporting the lowest rates of vaccination are lower-income, non-Hispanic Black adults aged 18–39 with lower levels of education who lacked health insurance and live outside of major cities, CDC said.
Nearly one in four adults aged 18-39 said they would probably or definitely not get vaccinated during the survey period, the report said.
Vaccine hesitancy is global problem nations have encountered but the health experts and scientists have underlined how crucial vaccines are in the race against time with mutating viruses.
The vaccination drive in America began in December last year and early efforts were focused on specific high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers and older adults. This was later expanded to all American adults aged 18 and older, beginning April 19.
Offering workplace vaccination programs, paid leave for vaccination and mobile, walk-in clinics with flexible hours could help improve vaccination rates among younger adults, the CDC reported.
Covid-19 deaths in the US have dipped below 300 a day for the first time since the early days of the disaster in March 2020, while the drive to put shots in arms approached another encouraging milestone Monday: 150 million Americans fully vaccinated.
The coronavirus was the third leading cause of death in the US in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But now, as the outbreak loosens its grip, it has fallen down the list of the biggest killers.
CDC data suggests that more Americans are dying every day from accidents, chronic lower respiratory diseases, strokes or Alzheimer’s disease than from Covid-19.
With inputs from Agencies