In the USA, the delta variant of the coronavirus is causing an increasing number of cases. At the same time, the willingness to vaccinate is increasing: More people are being vaccinated against the virus again, the White House announced.
In view of the rapidly increasing number of new corona infections, significantly more people in the USA have recently been vaccinated again. The vaccination campaign had stalled since June, with only around half a million injections being administered each day. However, the trend has now reversed in the face of the new corona wave, which is attributed to the particularly contagious delta variant. 816,000 vaccinations were given on Sunday (local time), including 517,000 primary vaccinations, a senior White House official wrote on Twitter. The latest data showed a “steady increase,” said Cyrus Shahpar.
According to the official, the vaccination numbers in the past few days were well above those of the previous week. On Saturday, for example, there were 712,000 cans, an increase of 77 percent compared to the previous week (403,000). On Friday there was an increase of 43 percent. In April, a good three million doses had been administered daily.
Corona numbers in the USA are increasing
The number of new infections registered per day on a weekly average, which temporarily fell to 11,000 in June, is now back to 72,000. The number of new infections is increasing nationwide, but states with lower vaccination rates are particularly affected, including Louisiana and Florida.
In the United States, almost 50 percent of the population of around 330 million people have so far been fully vaccinated, and around 58 percent have received at least the first injection. US President Joe Biden had set the target in the spring that by the national holiday on July 4th, 70 percent of adults should have received at least the first vaccination. The target was missed despite ample supplies and vaccination incentives, it was only 67 percent. Well, about a month later, it should soon be ready: The latest increase caused the rate among adults to rise to 69.9 percent by Sunday.
Pressure on the unvaccinated is growing
US President Joe Biden had increased the pressure on the unvaccinated last week, but spoke out against a nationwide vaccination requirement: “If you are indeed unvaccinated, then you are a problem – for yourself, for your family and for others you work with. “
Federal employees who cannot provide proof of vaccination will in future always have to wear a mask and be tested for a possible infection once or twice a week, the US President said on Thursday (local time). In order to increase the vaccination quota in the population, he is also calling on states and municipalities to pay a reward of 100 US dollars (85 euros) to each newly vaccinated person.
