By the Numbers

Delays in Administration

SCDHEC reported that a whopping 63 percent of the state’s allotment of vaccines were sitting on ice – unused.

“I ask that (SCDHEC) immediately make available to the public a complete accounting of the status and location of every COVID-19 vaccine dose that has been received and distributed in the state,” Gov. McMaster wrote. “The disclosure of this information is critical to maintaining the public’s confidence and participation in the COVID-19 vaccination effort.”

Anthony Fauci said the U.S. could soon be administering a million coronavirus vaccines per day. The Trump administration faces criticism over its failed rollout of the vaccine shots. The White House fell far short of its goal of inoculating 20 million people by the end of 2020. As of now, more than 5 million doses have been injected.

The government accelerated a plan to offer coronavirus shots in pharmacies. Within the next two weeks, Operation Warp Speed estimates 3,000 to 6,000 pharmacies could begin administering Covid-19 shots.

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged states to speed up vaccinations if supply is outstripping demand from one priority group. Adams’s comments about a way to increase the pace of vaccination come amid widespread concerns about the slow rollout of vaccines so far.

Herd Immunity

The CDC updated the figures showing about 2.5 million doses have been sent out through Trump’s Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program with CVS Health and Walgreens. Of those 2.5 million doses, only about 365,000 people living and working in long-term care facilities have received their first vaccine dose.

Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, revealed that more than 90% of residents have consented to receiving the initial available doses.

More than 16 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines exist but only 30 percent have been used so far. About 70% of those doses are sitting on pharmacy shelves. This is only enough to inoculate about 5 percent of the population against the deadly virus.

The US reported its highest daily Covid-19 death count ever this week. More than 3,770 American deaths were reported in one day.

An estimated 15% of the US population have antibodies against COVID-19.  This means the virus has infected vastly more people than reported. However, we need 75% for herd immunity, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.