Our World in Data estimates that there are 341 million people worldwide who are fully vaccinated, corresponding to approximately 4.4% of the global population. A total of 155 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, equivalent to 47% of the entire US population and 59% of all adults. Of those, 119 million are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 36% of the total population and 46% of adults. Among adults aged 65 years and older, progress has largely stalled at 84% with at least 1 dose and 72% fully vaccinated. A total of 9,481,581 Floridians have received at least one dose with 7,415,135 being fully vaccinated or 33.8% of the state’s population and 71.2% of those over age 65.
Over 268 million doses have been administered in the US so far. If we don’t see a greater vaccination rate in the US, COVID-19 will be with us forever, possibly mutating into a more dangerous disease not susceptible to our current COVID vaccines. The CDC reports that we have either eliminated or made extremely rare fourteen different formerly common diseases like chickenpox, diphtheria, measles, mumps, polio, rubella and tetanus, for example. This was possible through vaccines, many of which are required before a child can go to school which effectively assures that we achieve herd immunity for these diseases.
On May 13, the CDC updated its guidance for fully vaccinated individuals, which eliminates previous recommendations regarding physical distancing and mask use, including indoors. The CDC’s updated guidance for fully vaccinated individuals now indicates they no longer need to wear masks or practice physical distancing in most settings. Notable exceptions include higher-risk environments, including planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation and hospitals, correctional facilities and homeless shelters or in businesses or workplaces that have their own mandates. The guidance applies to individuals who received their final vaccine dose at least two weeks prior.
CSSE is reporting 32,883,634 positive cases in the U.S. and 585,073 deaths. DOH reported 2,286,203 confirmed cases in Florida Friday, with 36,000 deaths.
