Will Delaware Be 70% Vaccinated By July 4th?

 

 

Delaware Vaccination Progress: Will the First State hit Biden’s 70% goal in time for the 4th?

President Biden introduced a goal that would see at least 70% of the population in the US get one COVID-19 vaccine by July 4th. The ambitious initiative comes as cases in the US have recently plummeted along with the number of deaths caused by COVID-19. Some states have higher vaccination rates than others, but the goal of reaching 70% by July 4th generally seems unlikely.

The next question is: How is Delaware performing when it comes to getting shots into people’s arms? Will the state meet Biden’s 70% goal?

Overview of COVID-19’s Impact on Delaware to Date:

Delaware has reported 110,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,691 resident deaths as of June 22nd, 2021. Delaware has a total population of about 973,764 residents as of 2019. While COVID-19 cases have largely plummeted, the new Delta variant that is still spreading rapidly throughout the US is a cause of concern throughout the United States, including Delaware.

The fear is that unvaccinated residents are left especially vulnerable to the Delta variant, which has proven that it may be even more dangerous than the COVID-19 virus that swept across the US for a large part of 2020 and through the winter of 2021. While the exact mortality rate of the Delta variant isn’t yet known, it’s believed that vaccinated individuals are still largely protected from the COVID-19 Delta variant.

Vaccine Progress in Delaware

Delaware currently appears to be making substantial progress on reaching Biden’s 70% vaccination rate by July 4.  Currently, Delaware has administered 1,001,000 vaccine doses to its population. Only 469,000 residents are fully vaccinated. Delaware has fully vaccinated 48.2% of residents. At least 67.2% of all adults aged 15 and up (children aged 12 and up can get a Pfizer vaccine only), which is the age range that is generally recommended as fully safe to vaccinate against COVID-19.

Currently, Delaware is vaccinating about 3,000 residents per day. The vaccination rates continue to decline in Delaware as more people are willing to take the vaccine to reach “fully vaccinated status.” It’s reasonable to think that Delaware will be close to the Biden Administration’s vaccination goal of at least 70% of all residents receiving at least one dose of a COVID 19 vaccine by July 4th. If Delaware doesn’t reach the goal on exactly July 4th, it should happen very soon after.

What Will a 70% Vaccination Mean for Delaware?

Most COVID-19 restrictions have already been lifted in Delaware, including the mask mandate. Most restrictions have been relaxed, and social distancing requirements have been lifted. All business capacity limits have been lifted, and events for over 250 people are permitted with DPH compliance measures in place. The only place a mask mandate is in place is when someone is a) using public transit, b) in schools, c) in healthcare settings, d) in nursing facilities/group homes, and e) prisons/congregate settings like homeless shelters.

Coming closer to the 70% vaccination rate can help Delaware (and other states) lift the few remaining restrictions that are left in place. The minimum of 70% is also believed to be the lower threshold for the number of immunizations needed to reach so-called “herd immunity” when experts state that 70 – 85% of the population being “immune” or “vaccinated” is considered for herd immunity.

As more people get vaccinated, and life gets back to normal, businesses will continue to open up, and the economy will continue to bounce back. If you are interested in getting your COVID-19 vaccination in Delaware, you can find more information here.