covid-19

U.S. Finally Hits Biden’s 70 Percent Vaccination Goal

Photo: Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Monday that 70 percent of adults in the U.S. have now received at least one vaccine dose — nearly a month after July 4, President Joe Biden’s original target date for that milestone.

The CDC also reported that 60.6 percent of American adults (and 49.7 percent of the total population) are fully vaccinated. White House COVID-19 Data Director Cyrus Shahpar said that the seven-day average of newly vaccinated Americans is at its highest point since July 4.

The pace of vaccination has rebounded amid concerns about the highly contagious Delta variant, which is driving a surge in cases. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention registered more than 100,000 new cases. And while vaccines confer a strong layer of immunity against previously dominant variants, new research suggests the strain is more effective at evading vaccines.

U.S. Finally Hits Biden’s 70 Percent Vaccination Goal