US Coronavirus: The country may soon reach a tipping point in demand for Covid-19 vaccines. This is why that is concerning

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“While timing may vary by state, we estimate that across the US we are likely to hit a tipping point in vaccine enthusiasm in the next 2 to 4 weeks,” the Kaiser Family Foundation said in a new report published Tuesday.

“Once this happens, efforts to encourage vaccination will become much more difficult, posing a challenge to achieve the levels of herd immunity expected to be needed.”

Health officials – including Dr. Anthony Fauci – estimate that somewhere between 70% and 85% of the country must be immune to the virus – either through inoculation or previous infection – to suppress its spread.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 40.1% of the population has received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine so far. And about 26% of the population is fully vaccinated, data shows.
Declining demand for vaccines, experts say, could allow dangerous coronavirus variants to continue to mutate, spread and cause new spikes – and delay the country’s return to a semblance of normalcy.
You asked, we answered: your top questions about Covid-19 and vaccines

‘We have slots that are not being filled’

In parts of the US, fewer people are already seeing sign up for a recording.
Younger Americans vaccinate the least

Kristy Fryman, the disaster response coordinator and information officer for the Mercer County Health District in Ohio, told CNN on Tuesday that vaccine demand in the county is “slowing.”

The county’s younger population is not too eager to get vaccinated, Fryman said, and “feel that if they get Covid, it might not be that bad.”

Others, she said, choose to wait “to see what the side effects are like.”

“We went back to the drawing board to figure out how to get more people vaccinated, but … we can only do so much,” added Fryman.

Just over 27% of the county’s residents have started their Covid-19 vaccinations, according to Ohio’s Covid-19 vaccine dashboard.

Earlier during the pandemic, Mercer County was one of the hardest hit parts of the state. Now, Fryman said, the county is again reporting an increase in Covid-19 cases.

“It is worrying that we are seeing an increase and the population does not want to be vaccinated,” she said.

Dr. Rob Davidson, an emergency room physician, said Tuesday in Spring Lake, Michigan, that local officials there are also increasingly concerned about the hesitation they see.

“We have slots that are unfilled, I know in West Michigan and other parts, especially rural Michigan,” he said.

Experts recommend that people continue to wear a mask after vaccination

For Americans who are fully vaccinated, experts said it’s best to keep wearing a mask.

“If you’ve been vaccinated, you protect yourself and you probably won’t get sick, but we don’t know how long the virus will stay in your airways after you contract it,” says Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, internal medicine specialist. and CNN medical analyst, said Tuesday. “So that’s why you’re potentially infectious to others.”

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As for meetings, Rodriguez said fully vaccinated Americans should choose to meet only others who have also been vaccinated.

Experts have stressed that even as vaccinations increase, it will be important for people to continue to follow Covid-19’s safety measures until the country can suppress the spread of the virus.

But as more shots are administered, fewer Americans are applying public health restriction measures, according to the Axios-Ipsos poll results released Tuesday. The poll was held April 16-19 and consisted of a representative sample of more than 1,000 American adults.

About 61% of respondents have a social distance, which is six percentage points lower than last month and 13 points lower than two months ago.

The percentage of people who always wear a mask when leaving home – 63% – is the lowest since the summer and 10 percentage points lower since two months ago.

And at a time when Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, the perceived risk of returning to life before the coronavirus is the lowest it has ever been – 52%.

Meanwhile, perceived risks associated with activities such as shopping in stores and supermarkets and attending sporting events are also declining.

CNN’s Naomi Thomas and Maggie Fox contributed to this report.

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