Zients was asked by host Jake Tapper to assess the dynamics of the outbreak in the United States, given the progress in vaccinations and the sharp 40 percent drop in new daily infections in the past month.
“I would say we are turning the corner. We now have, as of this morning, 58 percent of adult Americans with at least one shot, over 110 million Americans fully vaccinated,” Zients responded.
The official hinted at the administration’s desire to overcome vaccine hesitancy while noting President Joe Biden’s new goal of 70 percent of adult Americans getting vaccinated with at least one shot by July 4.
“We’re at 58 percent today, so we’ve got a path ahead of us, which will involve getting people even easier access to the vaccine, making sure that people build their confidence, those who have questions about the vaccine, that we answer their questions,” Zients said.
Declining demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the United States is leading states across the country, from South Carolina to Washington, to refuse their full federal allocations of doses, despite the Biden administration’s efforts to raise take-up rates.
In a bid to overcome vaccine hesitancy and boost take-up, Biden announced on May 4 that federal officials will push education campaigns and expand smaller and mobile vaccination clinics to make inoculations more readily accessible. Biden also touted incentive programs as officials in some states have rolled out programs that essentially pay people to get the shot.