President Joe Biden set a new vaccine goal for America last month: 70% of adults receiving at least one COVID-19 shot by the Fourth of July. If shots continue at their current pace, the U.S. will fall short of that benchmark.
In the past week, an average of about 353,000 adults have received their first vaccine each day. To reach Biden's goal, that number will need to increase to about 892,000 adults newly vaccinated each day.
While the U.S. will likely fall short of Biden's initial target, the White House announced on Tuesday that more than 70% of Americans age 30 and older have received at least one COVID-19 shot, and said that the country is on track to vaccinate 70% of people age 27 and older by July 4.
How many adults will be vaccinated by July 4 if COVID-19 shots are given at the current rate?
Just over half of the nation's total population, including children, have received at least one vaccine. The pace of vaccine administration has fallen significantly from its peak in early April, when more than 2 million adults were reported newly vaccinated each day.
The Biden administration is working to pick up the pace by increasing public outreach, as well as encouraging vaccine incentives like discounts or sweepstakes for vaccinated people. Some child care providers will offer free child care through July 4 to parents and caregivers who are getting vaccinated or recovering from vaccination, and many pharmacies will have extended hours this month on Fridays to accommodate late-night vaccination times.
Read more: Biden announces new vaccine initiatives
How quickly are adults being vaccinated against COVID-19 in the U.S.?
The U.S. surpassed Biden's vaccine goals for his first 100 days in office – his promises of 100 million, then 150 million, then 200 million doses administered in that time were reached with plenty of time to spare. Overall, the United States administered more than 230 million COVID-19 shots within Biden's first 100 days as president.
Because age-based data was not available by the date vaccines were given, the data in this story includes vaccines based on the date they were reported to and published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dig deeper: Track vaccine progress in your state
Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
All adults in the U.S. are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and children age 12 and older are able to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Visit Vaccines.gov to find out where vaccines are in stock near you and schedule an appointment.
You can also text your ZIP code to 438 829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to get information about vaccine providers in your area.
Illustrated guide: What to expect before and after getting a COVID-19 vaccine
Promotional image by Jennifer Borresen
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