US reaches Biden vaccination goal a month late

The United States reached the goal set by President Joe Biden on Monday of giving 70% of the adult population at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, nearly a month after the original July 4 deadline.

According to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60.6% of adults and 49.7% of the total population have been fully vaccinated.

The Biden administration initially targeted the country’s Independence Day holiday to reach the ambitious goal and declare victory over the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But falling vaccination rates, particularly in the politically conservative southern and midwest regions, as well as among groups such as the very young, those with lower incomes, and racial minorities, led to the goal being missed.

However, recent weeks have seen an increase in the vaccination rate in the regions hardest hit by the latest wave of coronavirus, which is being driven by the much more contagious and lethal delta variant.

States like Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, and Florida have seen significant increases.

The national average of daily cases is currently over 60,000 and increasing rapidly.

However, with 80% of older people fully vaccinated, hospitalizations and deaths are increasing much more slowly than in previous waves.