ST. LOUIS – Just 4% of Missourians have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine, last among all 50 US states.
The New York Times and Washington Post looked at the vaccine rollout in all 50 states (and in the NYT’s case, US territories as well).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 18.5 million Americans have received at least one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and about 3.2 million of that group have been fully vaccinated.
In Missouri, 242,937 people have received the first COVID and 73,248 people have been fully vaccinated. Missouri has an estimated population of 6.15 million people.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses. The Pfizer vaccine requires a follow-up shot three weeks after the first, while people who receive the Moderna vaccine will get their second shot 28 days after the initial dose.
CDC guidelines say frontline health care workers, as well as nursing home residents and staff, should be first in line to receive the vaccine. Essential workers, adults over 75 years of age, and people with underlying health conditions are the next prioritized groups.
More than 41.4 million doses have been distributed across the country.
The nation has administered the first shot to 5.6% of the population (331 million). Just 1% of the populace has received both doses.
Alaska has administered the first dose to 10.7% of its population – the highest rollout in the country. The states with the next highest rollout are West Virginia (9.7%), New Mexico (7.8%), Connecticut (7.7%), and North Dakota (7.4%).