Experts warn that the United States may soon reach a turning point in demand for COVID-19 vaccines

U.S. health authorities Armed with more COVID-19 shots To control the virus, experts are now warning that the country will face another challenge in the coming weeks. Vaccine supply can exceed demand.

“Timing may vary from state to state, but we predict that the United States as a whole is likely to reach a turning point in its enthusiasm for vaccines in the next two to four weeks,” said Kaiser Family Foundation. I am. A new report published on Tuesday.

“When this happens, efforts to encourage vaccination become much more difficult and present the challenge of reaching the level of herd immunity expected to be needed.”

Health authorities, including Dr. Anthony Fauci Estimate to be somewhere between 70% and 85% The country must be immune to the virus, either through vaccination or previous infections.

So far, about 40.1% of the population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccination. data From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And the data show that about 26% of the population is fully vaccinated.

According to experts, the current slowdown in vaccine demand is Gives dangerous coronavirus mutants Opportunities to mutate, spread, and continue to cause new surges-and that can delay the country’s return to normal.

“Slot is not filled”

Part of the United States already Watch fewer people sign up for the shot.

Christie Flyman, an emergency response coordinator and spokeswoman for the Mercer County Health District, Ohio, told CNN on Tuesday that demand for vaccines in the county was “slowing.”

The young population of the county is less enthusiastic about getting vaccinated, Flyman said, and “has the feeling that if they get a COVID, it might not be that bad.”

Others have chosen to wait “to see what the side effects are,” she said.

“We’re back on the drawing board to find a way to vaccinate more people, but … that’s all we can do,” Freyman added.

According to Ohio’s COVID-19 vaccine, over 27% of county residents have started COVID-19 vaccination. Dashboard.

In the early days of the pandemic, Mercer County was one of the hardest hit areas in the state. Now, Flyman said the county is again reporting an increase in COVID-19 cases.

“We are concerned that we are growing and that the population does not want to be vaccinated,” she said.

In Spring Lake, Michigan, emergency room doctor Dr. Rob Davidson said on Tuesday that local officials were also increasingly concerned about the hesitation they were seeing.

“Slots aren’t filling up. I know it in western Michigan and elsewhere, especially in the countryside of Michigan,” he said.

Experts recommend that people continue to use masked vaccines

For fully vaccinated Americans, experts said it was best to keep wearing a mask.

“If you’re vaccinated, you’re protecting yourself and you probably won’t get sick, but you don’t know how long the virus will be in your respiratory system after you catch it.” Internal medicine specialist Dr. Jorge Rodriguez and CNN’s medical analyst said Tuesday.

“Therefore, you are potentially contagious to others.”

Regarding the rally, Rodriguez said that fully vaccinated Americans should choose to meet only with others who are also vaccinated.

Experts emphasize that it is important for people to continue their Covid-19 safety measures until the country is able to control the spread of the virus, even with increased vaccinations.

But as more shots are given, fewer Americans are practicing public health mitigation measures, polls show. Axios-Ipsos was released on Tuesday. The poll was conducted from April 16th to 19th and consisted of a representative sample of over 1,000 US adults.

Approximately 61 percent of respondents are socially distant, down 6 percentage points from last month and 13 points from two months ago.

The percentage of people who wear masks whenever they leave home (63%) is the lowest since summer, down 10 points from two months ago.

And Increasing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizationsThe perceived risk of returning to pre-coronavirus life is the lowest ever, at 52%.

Meanwhile, the risks perceived in connection with activities such as shopping at retail and grocery stores and attending sporting events are also reduced.