Covid-19 vaccine uptake lower than expected: US CDC

Covid-19 vaccine uptake in the US is lower than expected, with only 14 per cent of American adults had gotten an updated Covid-19 vaccine through November 4, according to the latest information of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Covid-19 is still an important cause of hospitalization and death, especially for older adults and people with certain underlying medical conditions, said the CDC.

Covid-19 vaccines do not prevent every infection, but they can reduce illness severity in people who get vaccinated but still get sick, helping to save lives, reduce hospitalizations, and prevent trips to the doctor, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the CDC.

An estimated 14 per cent of US adults had gotten an updated Covid-19 vaccine through November 4, CDC data showed.

More than two-thirds of older adults have not gotten an updated Covid-19 vaccine and they need this added protection, said the CDC.

The data also showed disparities in vaccine uptake by race and ethnicity.

The proportions of non-Hispanic Black adults and Hispanic adults who received an updated Covid-19 vaccine were nearly half that of white adults.

There are many social, geographic, political, economic, and environmental factors that create challenges to vaccination access and acceptance, and that often affect racial and ethnic minority groups, according to the CDC.