Twelve additional states have opened coronavirus vaccinations for anyone over the age of 16, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s vaccination detection, which brings the total nationwide to 33.
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33 states now offer COVID-19 vaccination to all adults
Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin will enable all adults to get a vaccine from Monday.
The states include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Western Virginia and Wyoming, which are already eligible for vaccination.
Later this week, Delaware, New York, Maine, North Carolina and Missouri will also open vaccines to anyone over the age of 16, bringing the total to 38 states.
California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia continue to limit vaccinations by age.
The moves help Biden’s government enroll 90 percent of U.S. adults in the coronavirus vaccine by April 19. President Biden had earlier set the goal that all U.S. adults would be eligible for the vaccine no later than May 1st.
The US vaccine supply is increasing, as is the vaccination rate. Experts predict that lack of demand in a few weeks will be more worrying than availability.
According to federal officials, the U.S. vaccinates an average of 3.1 million people a day. More than 40 percent of adults have at least one shot, and nearly one in four adults is now fully vaccinated, White House adviser Andy Slavitt COVID-19 said Monday.
But at the same time, new infections and hospitalizations are on the rise, and outbreaks in states like Michigan are raising fears of another nationwide boom.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the seven-day average of new cases is about 64,000 cases a day, which is about 7 percent higher than the previous seven days.
This is the fourth consecutive week of increasing cases of COVID-19, CDC director Rochelle Walensky said during an information session in the White House on Monday. She attributed the increase in part to new, more contagious variants.
Walensky also said that many of the outbreaks identified among young people are related to participation in youth sports and extramural programs. She noted that CDC guidelines suggest that activities should be restricted.
Numerous cases showed some signs of a plateau, but many states delayed reporting due to Easter. Many health professionals predict another increase after the holidays if no vaccinated people gather indoors, just as has happened after every major holiday.
Hospital admissions have also increased to an average of 4,970 admissions per day in the past week.
“I understand that people are tired and that they are ready for this pandemic, as I am. Keep hanging on there and continue to do the things we know to spread the virus,” he said. Walensky said Monday.
-Updated 13:12
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