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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 26 January 2022

COVID-19 booster drive is faltering in the U.S.

Continued from Front 63% of Americans, or 210 As for why an estimated
million people, are fully 86 million Americans who
Also, a new poll from The vaccinated with the initial have been fully vacci-
Associated Press-NORC rounds of shots. Mandates nated and are eligible for
Center for Public Affairs Re- that could raise those num- a booster have not yet
search found that Ameri- bers have been hobbled gotten one, Schwartz said
cans are more likely to see by legal challenges. public confusion is one im-
the initial vaccinations — Vaccination numbers are portant reason.
rather than a booster — as stagnant in states such as "I think the evidence is now
essential. Wyoming, Idaho, Mississippi overwhelming that the
"It's clear that the booster and Alabama, which have booster is not simply an op-
effort is falling short," said been hovering below 50%. tional supplement, but it is
Jason Schwartz, a vaccine In Wyoming, 44% are fully a foundational part of pro-
policy expert at Yale Uni- vaccinated, up just slightly tection," he said. "But clear-
versity. Pharmacist Kenni Clark injects Robert Champion, of Lawrence, from 41% in September. ly that message has been
Overall, the U.S. vaccina- Mass., with a booster dosage of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine To boost numbers, the state lost." The need for all Ameri-
tion campaign has been during a vaccination clinic at City of Lawrence's "The Center," has been running TV ads cans to get boosters initially
sluggish. More than 13 which serves seniors, families and the community, Wednesday, with health care workers was debated by scientists,
months after it began, just Dec. 29, 2021, in Lawrence, Mass. giving grim accounts of un- and at first the government
Associated Press
vaccinated people strug- recommended only that
gling with COVID-19. certain groups of people,
"Certainly we would like such as senior citizens, get
to see higher rates. But it additional doses.
would be wrong for any- The arrival of omicron, and
one to think that the rates additional evidence about
we have are due to lack falling immunity, showed
of effort," Wyoming Health more clearly a widespread
Department spokeswoman need for boosters.
Kim Deti said Tuesday. Only 47% say the same
At the other end of the about a booster shot.
spectrum, Vermont is a Keller Anne Ruble, 32, of
national leader in the Denver, received her two
percentage of people doses of the Moderna vac-
who have been fully vac- cine but hasn't gotten her
cinated and received a booster. She said she had
booster shot. About 60% of a bad reaction to the sec-
the population over 18 has ond dose and was in bed
gotten a booster. But it's for four days with a fever
not enough, said Vermont and flu-like symptoms.
Health Commissioner Mark "I believe in the power
Levine."I'd love to see that of vaccines, and I know
percentage much closer that's going to protect me,"
to 90%," Levine said. said Ruble, the owner of
The U.S. and many other a greeting card sending
nations have been urg- service. But the vaccine
ing adults to get boost- "just knocked me out com-
ers because the vaccine's pletely and freaked me out
protection can wane. about getting the booster."
Also, research has shown She said she does plan
that while the vaccines to get the booster in the
have proved less effective next few weeks and in
against omicron, boosters the meantime wears an
can rev up the body's de- N95 mask and tries to stay
fenses against the threat. home.q