Coronavirus on Track to Hit Lowest Case Count in Eight Months... Let's Launch a Final Push to End COVID

     The data is in, and vaccines save lives, potentially millions in the United States alone. People who were fully vaccinated and boosted were 41 times less likely to die from COVID than people who were not fully vaccinated and boosted, and people who were boosted were six times less likely to die than people who were fully vaccinated but not boosted.

     The good news is that Americans are buying into anti-vaccine bullshit less and less as the weeks progress. One important piece of news is that over 90 percent of seniors, the age group most vulnerable to COVID-19, are at least partially vaccinated. Nationally, America achieved a rate of 70 percent of adults getting at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 in August 2021. Now, America is on track to get 90 percent of people over 18 at least partially vaccinated, with the number currently standing at 88 percent. A good goal would be April 5th: it's achievable, and it would mean that 90 percent of adults have gotten at least partially vaccinated on the one-year anniversary of the vaccines becoming widely available to Americans. It would also mean 90 percent of adults and an estimated 85 percent of the total U.S. population would be fully vaccinated and boosted within 18 months of the vaccines becoming widely available and two years of their first distribution.

     As a nation, I've been advocating for #NinetyForNormalcy: let's get 90 percent of the total U.S. population vaccinated and boosted so we can end this horrible pandemic. So far, the elderly have met this goal and those over 18 are on track to meet this goal. If #NinetyForNormalcy is to work, we need to ensure that no state is left behind, that, at a minimum, 70 percent of residents of every state are fully vaccinated and boosted. As of today, Wyoming is the only state that has not had at least 70 percent of adults partially vaccinated, but they are on track to meet this goal.

     There are just two states that have not partially vaccinated at least 60 percent of their population: Mississippi and Wyoming. Both of these states have vaccinated around 59 percent of their residents. Let's shoot for March 11th, the two-year anniversary of the pandemic being declared, to have every state partially vaccinate at least 60 percent of their residents. Just five states have not vaccinated 70 percent of their population over 12: Idaho, Mississippi, Indiana, Wyoming, and Louisiana. 14 states have not at least partially vaccinated 70 percent of their population over five. However, this is changing: every state in the nation is on track to fully vaccinate and boost at least 70 percent of their total population.

     A total of 260 million Americans have at least been partially vaccinated against coronavirus. To achieve the 90 percent figure, we need to hit 300 million. Of the 70 million unvaccinated Americans, 25 million are children under five. Vaccinating this age group is a hugely important tool against COVID-19; 40 million people getting vaccinated would get America to 90 percent, and kids under five could fill a good chunk of that. As America prepares to hit 100 million booster shots administered by that March 11th date, we must also push for vaccine boosters to be approved for kids.

     Cases of COVID have fallen 95 percent since their Omicron peak to a seven-day average of 45,000. That's the lowest number since July. Now, we need to seize this momentum to achieve a momentous #90ForNormalcy.