The data around mass vaccination has finally started to align with the promise of it.
According to analysis by The Washington Post, COVID-19 infections are swiftly dropping in areas where most residents are vaccinated and are rising in many places where they are not. It may sound like an obvious result, considering how much faith and resources America has invested in an effort that has seen 43% of eligible citizens fully vaccinated, but the demonstrable success is new.
“As recently as 10 days ago,” the article announcing the study reads, “vaccination rates did not predict a difference in coronavirus cases, but immunization rates have diverged, and case counts in the highly vaccinated states are dropping quickly.”
Meanwhile, 10 states concentrated in the heavily red Deep South and rural west have apparently reported fewer than 35% of residents fully immunized, a sharp contrast from the national rate.
Although the report offers encouraging news by proving the efficacy of mass vaccination, it also sheds light on the dangers of mass resistance. As more unvaccinated people hear news about falling infection rates nationwide, the likelier they are to be lulled into a false sense of security about their choice not to get vaccinated. If enough similarly minded people are concentrated in the same area, they may be left defenseless against the more transmissible variants.
The Biden administration has set a July 4 goal to have 70% of adults receive at least one vaccine dose.
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