The worldwide vaccination rate was virtually unchanged over the last month while the vaccination rate in the United States continues to fall. As a further bit of disappointing news, today Pfizer and BioNTech announced plans next month to file for emergency use authorization for a COVID vaccine booster to counter the emergence of more contagious and lethal variants and what they claim is a decline over time in their vaccine’s efficacy against symptomatic disease.
World Statistics
According to data collected by Bloomberg, as of July 9, more than 3.33 billion doses have been administered across 180 countries. As of my last report on June 6, just over two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines had been administered in 176 countries.
After impressive increases in the first half of 2021 the average daily rate of vaccinations fell from 39 million doses per day at the beginning of June to the current rate of 32 million doses per day worldwide.
Enough doses have been administered to fully vaccinate 21.7% of the global population. Vaccine distribution, however, has been extremely lopsided. Countries with the highest incomes are vaccinating people at rates that are more than 30 times faster than the vaccination rates in lower income countries. At the current pace, it would take another year to achieve a high level of global immunity.
United States Statistics
In the U.S., 332 million doses have been given so far. In the last week, an average of 604,380 doses per day were administered.
The U.S. has done extremely well with early vaccine rollouts. Roughly half of the U.S. population has now received at least one dose.
Supply is not an issue in the U.S.. Drugmakers have promised to deliver enough shots to fully vaccinate more than 300 million people in the U.S. by the end of June. That’s enough to cover everyone ages 12 and older—the entire population for which vaccines are currently approved.
Unfortunately, the U.S. vaccination rate continues to fall. Even if the current vaccination rate holds, which seems highly unlikely, it would take another eight months for the U.S. to reach herd immunity. The U.S. seems to be squandering the gigantic headstart it had in vaccine distribution.
My Take
The statistics of the Covid-19 pandemic offer cause for optimism and despair. We can be optimistic about the rate at which the world has been able to develop and manufacture huge quantities of highly effective vaccines.
On the other hand, uneven vaccination distribution, falling vaccination rates in the U.S., potential limited efficacy of some vaccines, and the emergence of more contagious Covid variants with greater lethality could mean Covid precautions will be required for a long time.
Not getting vaccinated makes no sense. With more than 3 billion doses administered, any serious vaccine side effects would have become apparent by now.
The supply of vaccine is large enough in America that every adult who wants to get vaccinated can get vaccinated. Vaccines are nearly 100% effective at preventing serious illness and deaths. That means that every U.S. adult death from here on out is completely preventable. We have a duty to protect our fellow Americans. It is a matter of patriotism, caring and kindness. We have the ability to stamp out the virus that has claimed more than 600,000 American lives in just over one year.
Covid-19 goes about its viral business immune to politics. Covid does what viruses do — it spreads, sickens, kills, and mutates. It can’t be bullied or flattered or negotiated with. So politics must play no role in our response. The world is in a race to defeat the spread of the disease before it mutates into additional strains that are more contagious and more deadly.
So far the biggest effort has gone into developing vaccines. Vaccines, however, may not end the pandemic for reasons previously stated. Therefore, it appears that more effort should be put into testing if life is to go back to a semblance of pre-pandemic normal.
Onerous Covid restrictions are necessary to prevent spread because we don’t know who is infected. When no one knows who is infected, the presumption of the public health authorities must be that everyone is. Because everyone is presumed to be infected, then we all must wear masks, keep apart, and gather only in small groups.
Tests that can identify infected individuals quickly and cheaply might eliminate the need for mask wearing and social distancing in certain settings. Testing might also be able to substitute for vaccine passports in certain situations. Some object to vaccine passports because of the inequalities they create between vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. Testing could be used for everyone. The experts can workout the details.
Final Thoughts
As the planet becomes more interconnected, the development and spread of viruses like SARS-CoV-2 will become more frequent. The world’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and Covid-19 disease will be an important chapter in world history. Today’s successes and failures will serve as guides for handling future pandemics.
Let’s hope that Pfizer’s belief that booster shot(s) might be necessary for long term protection is just a ploy to sell more vaccine. Currently, the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Drug Administration maintain that boosters are unnecessary. Their position could be confirmed or refuted as more data is produced.
Thanks for taking the time to review the current stats and my thoughts. Do you think vaccines will lead to a return to normalcy? If not, what’s the best strategy to deal with the pandemic?
I don’t understand how people can still be hesitant, it’s clear that the people in hospitals are the unvaccinated these days… Makes me glad to live in NYC where the vaccination rates are pretty high.
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Even vaccinated people can be infected and might still spread the virus. I think we should take another look at testing as a way to help control the pandemic. NYC is indeed one of the success stories in vaccines. Stay safe and healthy Lyssy!
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im sitting here watching the wimbledon final (ladies) and its a full stadium with not that many masks, Some seem to think the thing is over. i guess they cant keep us locked up forever, at some point they need to believe the vaccine rate is enough to return to some sort of normal, with perhaps a few measures in place. Masks indoors in a few places perhaps. I dont know. I also foresee a spike in cases coming up, people are saying around october i think maybe sooner, especially in Europe. I hear in the UK they are now only reporting deaths and hospitalisations, not overall case numbers. but i dont know. Its got to be wait and see. the numbers are goid i think. where did you get 21 percent from I am reading only 12 ish but that doesnt include China. if its 21 per cent well, we could be around 40 or more by the end of the year if the number continue, Certainly the number per day becoming fully vaccinated is increasing from what I see and (without china) we are doing 1% in about 9 days. so thats (without china) another 18% by the end of the year. Add China into the mix and i am presuming the 21% includes them, well, 50% not impossible by the end of the year. When we hit 70% i think the world needs to reopen. Stay on top of it, monitor and if needed give a booster 9-12 months later, possibly of a different vaccine. Here i think once we are at 70% we have to reopen. Its a joke. Europe seems to act like its not over. but overall Europe is at around 25% fully vaxxed, UK excluded. so if they fully open well then we will see a resurgence. wait and see. we will know more by the end of the year. if breakouts dont go crazy in the 2nd half of the year, well, normal might be possible, albeit a different normal. Tests and masks will surely continue for a few years.
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I missed the singles but am watching the doubles (women’s and men’s). I agree that 70% vaccinated would be outstanding and allow getting back to normal. It is not clear we will get there or how long it would take if we do. Meanwhile, I think we should also redouble our efforts on testing. If those who are actually infected can be rapidly identified and their contacts traced, then perhaps mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and travel restrictions would be unnecessary.
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I am believing that our world is technically more advanced in science. Here in Canada our family has received the second dose. I try to think positively our world will get back to normal.
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Thanks for keeping a positive attitude! I certainly hope we do get back to normal in the near future.
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it is sad that the vaccine distribution is so skewed globally; I would hope that is a lesson to be learned for the next pandemic, that we need to treat people more equitably around the globe.
and I would be qute disappointed if Pfizer is suggesting a booster shot just for financial gain…
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I wish I was optimistic that next time the world would do better with vaccine distribution. But that seems unlikely without new international treaties, and getting manufacturing countries to agree to such treaties is equally unlikely. Getting countries voluntarily to allow export of vaccines needed by their own population is a big ask. Mandating technology transfers, if feasible, that would allow companies in many countries to make vaccines might help. Of course such transfers would be opposed by the drug companies.
It would be really hard to imagine pharmaceutical companies advocating that people take drugs that aren’t necessary purely for financial gain.😉 We’ll ignore the opioid situation, drug advertising, and other examples of drug profits over people.
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I am not optimisitc either. and I wonder how many Americans would have been willing to wait so that other countries got the vaccine before we did…
and there is no doubt that the pharmaceutical companies have a profit motive, but I hope there is a health motive as well that sometimes edges out the profit motive…
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Edging out the profit motive can be tricky for companies that are obligated to maximize profits. I helped to set up the private charitable foundation for the company I worked for. Donating 1% of the pre-tax profit was justified as being in the company’s best interests, which indeed it was. As a regulated utility, the company needed approvals from regulators and politicians for many of its business decisions. It is surprising how much local goodwill can be generated from charitable donations of all sizes. That goodwill came in handy to secure merger approvals and in fighting a hostile takeover. So “doing the right thing” can have financial benefits as you say. I wish more companies looked at things that way.
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a couple of years ago, the Business Roundtable, an influential group of CEOs, did switch from a shareholder to a stakeholder perspective as to what should be the primary objective of a firm. hopefully those sort of changes help firms “do the right thing”…
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The recommendation of the Business Roundtable will definitely help. Maximizing profit as the overriding business goal seems baked into corporate statutory and common-law legal obligations and Wall Street expectations. I bet the struggle between profit and social responsibility is a great subject for business school (and under grad?) classes.
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Good summary John. After a slow star here, Canada is about 75% single does and 55% double dose. Like the U.S., parts of Canada (my part) seem to have hit a road block of increasing enough to reach herd immunity. Like you, I am not sure why many would choose to be a victim (no vaccine) instead of a guinea pig (vaccinated with a vaccine that has proven efficacy and almost negligible side effects). We had Covid right next door to us in a younger family and they are no longer doubters. Stay well, keep your fingers crossed that this thing finally gets beaten down. Have a great weekend. Allan
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Thanks Allan, and congratulations to Canada on its vaccine successes. We are all (vaccinated and non-vaccinated) subjects in a gigantic, worldwide experiment measuring our response to this biological threat. I hope this is an experiment we learn from. It great that you guys have remained healthy and safe. I hope your weekend is a great one. John
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I got myself vaccinated for the second dose yesterday. Covaxin was running out short here in India but few doses came day before yesterday & I finally got my second dose.
I hope these stats get better with each passing day!
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That’s wonderful that you are fully vaccinated!! The stats are improving slowly most places. Is there much vaccine hesitancy in India?
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Yeah!
The situation here is changing. Earlier people were a lot more hesitant but now they’re coming up and getting themselves vaccinated (which is important, at least to keep you & people nearby you at a safer side).
But still there are few people who think that these vaccines will end up giving them some sort of side effects. I’ve came across such people & trust me it’s so hard to make them realize how important vaccination is!
Lack of awareness might also be one factor. Govt. is taking every possible measure to vaccinate more and more people.
How’s the situation in your country?
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It is good to hear that India doesn’t have a significant problem with people who refuse to be vaccinated as we do in the U.S.. Spread of the virus in cities that are densely populated can be so easy. Thanks for the information and best of luck to us all in beating the virus, staying healthy and returning to normal.
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💜 My Understanding is that the “Vaccine” is currently FREE and NOT!!! Charged for, YET!!! anyone with an Ounce of Business Nous should Be Looking Askance at Getting Addicted to The “Vaccine” and Being Charged, bit like Druggies on The Street
…💛💚💙…
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Maybe the drug companies created the virus. Just kidding although that is no doubt one theory floating around.
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💜 Watch ‘Contagion’ because, sometimes, ‘real’ life is stranger than ‘fiction’ My Brother, My Friend; it’s Crystal Clear Clarity that The Phrase ‘YOU!!! couldn’t have made this up…’ is apt here
…💛💚💙…
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Contagion is a good movie.
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💜 My Friend, My Brother We ALL Take a Stance and Stubbornly Stick to Our Position particularly with Stats; so here’s a Single Stat for YOU!!! to Ponder ‘Pon, 70% of The Global Population is NOT!!! Interested in Getting “Vaccinated” against This Tiny Flu Virus Thingy hence “Vaccination” numbers ARE dropping…so, instead, They ARE Seeking treatment, there ARE No Cures, for underlying disease and illness or Trusting Their AutoImmune System and Denying Greedy Pharmaceuticals Ill (pun intended) Gotten Gains…if This Resistance to “Vaccines” is Self-Ish then The Pressure To Be “Vaccinated” is Even More SELFISH!!! and Money Grubbing; open YOUR!!! Eyes and SEE (Soulful Emotional Energy) EveryOne and Liberate YOURSELF!!! if Pharmaceuticals were Serious about The Vaccine it would be Given For FREE to Those who CANNOT AFFORD IT!!! because Pharma Can Afford It, please, Wake The FUCK!!! Up EveryOne
…💛💚💙…
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The vaccine is free to the public. No one pays to get a shot except potentially through taxes at some point.
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💜 Then, My Friend, My Brother; why is there such Disparity in Distributing the “Free Vaccine” between ‘First’, ‘Second’ and ‘Third’ Worlds 🤔 ?
…💛💚💙…
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Perhaps inequitable vaccine distribution results from the fact that these drugs were developed by companies based in first-world countries. Giving many more countries and companies access to the technology for making vaccines would help the distribution problem.
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I hope so too, thank you
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Thank you for this post, the fact that in South Africa vaccines are rolling out so slow scares me
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Things are improving slowly. I hope you and others in South Africa are able to get vaccinated soon.
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Good summary of scary facts.
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We aren’t out of the woods yet by a long shot sorry to say. Thanks for taking a look. 😊
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