Millions Across US Skipping Second Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

Millions of US citizens are choosing to skip the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, a decision that will impact the level and duration of their initial immunity to the illness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 8% of recently vaccinated individuals skipped the second dose in April. The figure doubled the total that the organization reported in March.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease official, said the tally is unsurprising, as foregoing a second shot has happened frequently with multi-dose vaccines prior to COVID-19.

Hawai´i Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said skipping second doses has not yet become a widespread issue across the state. Green added that he will encourage vaccination sites to allow for more walk-ins, which should encourage more initial vaccinations.

All individuals 16 years and older are eligible to receive vaccination in Hawai´i, and several islands are reporting open spots at scheduled vaccination clinics. For information on how to register, visit the State Department of Health’s website.

To date, nearly 1.2 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Hawai´i. Approximately 95 million people nationwide are now fully vaccinated, while around 42% have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.