Biden aims for vaccinating 70% of adult Americans by July 4
President Joe Biden is setting a new vaccination goal to deliver at least one dose to 70% of adult Americans by July 4, the White House said Tuesday, as the administration pushes to make it easier for people to get shots and to bring the country closer to normalcy.
The new goal, which also includes fully vaccinating 160 million adults by Independence Day, comes as demand for vaccines has dropped off markedly nationwide, with some states leaving more than half their vaccine doses unordered.
No, the U.S. doesn’t need to vaccinate 100% of population to reach herd immunity
The U.S. doesn’t need to vaccinate everyone to reach herd immunity against COVID-19, but herd immunity could still be a hard goal to meet with current vaccination rates.
Many experts believe that the herd immunity threshold for COVID-19 will be 70% at minimum, but could be higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 44.4% of the total U.S. population has received at least one dose and 31.8% of the total U.S. population is fully vaccinated as of the afternoon of May 3.
Seattle to offer more pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics to boost access
The City of Seattle is adjusting its approach for getting people vaccinated against COVID-19. The city said the next phase includes meeting people where they are located.
"There a lot of people who it's been harder for them to get to vaccination sites, or they have some hesitancy, language barriers, work barriers, we want to make it as easy as possible," said Mayor Jenny Durkan.
Seattle COVID-19 vaccine clinics open to walk-ups, as some struggle to fill appointments
For months, demand for the COVID-19 vaccines has outpaced supply in Washington, which chose a phased rollout to prioritize high-risk and vulnerable groups. But after months of limited access to the life-saving shot, a surreal turn has happened for some clinics: supply is outpacing demand.
Seattle has 50,000 doses this week, officials said, but only about 25,000 appointments booked. That led city officials to throw open the doors to all walk-ups at three municipal sites: West Seattle, Rainier Beach, and the mass vaccination site at the Seahawk’s Lumen Field.
How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Washington
Everyone in Washington state aged 16 and over is eligible for the vaccine.
Find a list of vaccine providers on the state's Vaccinate WA page and information on how to make an appointment.
Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for people 16 and 17 years old, and the state is working to update its Vaccine Locator with information about which vaccine is offered at each location.
Several health care providers allow people to join waiting lists for the vaccine, and they will contact you when doses are available. Join the waiting list for:
- Virginia Mason
- UW Medicine: Call (844) 520-8700