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COVID-19 Milestone: In the United States, the Number of People Fully Vaccinated Is Now Larger Than the Number of Reported Cases

By 

René F. Najera, DrPH

March 9, 2021

As of this morning, are reporting 29,048,819 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States since the pandemic began. (The New York Times has a similar number on .) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of today. This is significant because well over 90% of the United States population should receive at least one dose of the vaccine by September, taking the country as a whole well into herd immunity territory. (One dose matters now that the .) It is also significant because, as long as the pace of vaccination outpaces the rate of new infection, the epidemic in the United States should slow down and begin to reverse.

However, we are not quite there yet. It is early March, and there are months to go before we reach herd immunity. Because of that, we must continue to wear masks in public, practice social distancing and gather in small groups (). Those who are at high risk for severe complications from COVID-19, or those who care for such folks, even when vaccinated, should be very mindful of their actions because the pandemic is still continuing. Finally, even as the United States reaches herd immunity, there will be pockets and communities that are not at that level, so further vigilance will last until the pandemic is declared over.

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