US likely to miss July 4 COVID-19 vaccine target: White House

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The us will likely fail to satisfy President Joe Biden’s goal to deliver a minimum of one COVID-19 vaccine to 70% of adults by Independence Day , officials said on Tuesday and warned the Delta variant first found in India poses the best threat to U.S. eradication efforts.

They said the administration is poised to satisfy the target for adults 27 and older on Independence Day , U.S. Independence Day, but will come short of Biden’s goal for adults 18 and older.

“Our focus from the start has been continuing to redouble our efforts among demographics and groups where we’d like extra assistance,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

White House COVID-19 senior adviser Jeffrey Zients said it might likely take a couple of weeks beyond Independence Day to satisfy Biden’s target.

“The country has more work to try to to … particularly with 18- to 26-year-olds,” Zients told reporters.

“The reality is many younger Americans have felt like COVID-19 isn’t something that impacts them, and they have been less wanting to get the shot.”

The Delta variant is that the greatest threat to the trouble to eradicate COVID-19 within U.S. borders, U.S. communicable disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a call with reporters.

Fauci said existing vaccines were effective against the new variant, which is more transmissible than the first variant.

“We have the tools, so let’s use them and crush the outbreak,” Fauci said.

The us already has vaccinated 70% of adults age 30 and older, Zients said.

Fifteen of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., have delivered a minimum of round to 70% of adults 18 and older.

The rate of U.S. vaccinations has increased by but one decimal point over the past fortnight and would need to quite double subsequent fortnight for the us to hit Biden’s target.

Biden, vice chairman Kamala Harris and other top officials have deployed a campaign-style push encouraging more Americans to urge shots so as to guard public health also as reopen the economy and return the country to a path of normalcy.

Racial imbalances in vaccination rates, the Delta variant and therefore the challenge of convincing young American adults they ought to protect themselves with the vaccine remain roadblocks.