US Public Faces Surplus of COVID-19 Vaccines Amid Anxiety and Distrust

COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Slows Down
Higher Risk of Further Decline in Vaccination Rate

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] Reports have emerged that the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations is slowing down among Americans due to growing distrust and anxiety about the vaccine. In some areas, the amount of unused vaccines is increasing as more citizens hesitate to get vaccinated.

On the 16th (local time), CBS News in the United States reported that persuading those who hesitate or distrust the vaccine and remain unvaccinated has become the key to the success of the 'vaccine drive.' As of that day, 47.8% of the population aged 16 and older had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

According to the media outlet, as distrust of the vaccine has grown recently among Americans, the amount of unused vaccines is increasing in some regions including West Virginia, Wyoming, Louisiana, and Montana. Dr. Clay Marsh, West Virginia's COVID-19 vaccine coordinator, mentioned that he has recently received reports from several local health officials about leftover vaccines. Dr. Marsh said, "More citizens are hesitating to get vaccinated than before," and added, "We are very concerned about the situation that could arise from not vaccinating a sufficient number of citizens."

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also show that the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations is slowing in many areas. Since the U.S. government halted the administration of the Janssen vaccine on the 13th due to concerns about thrombosis, the vaccination rate is expected to decline further.

Meanwhile, health officials in some areas where vaccination rates have slowed are focusing on encouraging citizen participation, CBS reported. A representative from the Alabama state government emphasized, "Some citizens believe that the risk of infection has decreased because the number of new confirmed cases has dropped, but the virus is still spreading," and stressed, "Everyone needs to get vaccinated."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.