Millions of Americans have rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated against Covid-19, but one group is well behind: young adults.
Their reluctance is a significant part of why the U.S. missed the Biden administration’s goal of getting 70% of the adult population a first dose by July 4, and it is impeding efforts to develop the communitywide immunity sought to move past the pandemic and fend off Delta and other variants.
Now government health authorities are dialing up efforts encouraging 18- to 29-year-olds to get vaccinated.
The outreach will have to overcome the hesitancy of many young adults who don’t see the urgency given their relatively low risk of severe cases, are spooked by confusing information on social media and generally feel invincible, public-health experts say.
“It’s a problem because young people are out and about and social,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. “They’re more likely to be interacting with more people than a 75-year-old” and could spread the virus if they aren’t vaccinated.