CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Monday reported some good news related to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Of the millions of Americans who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, only 3% have missed their second dose if they received one of the two-dose vaccines manufactured by Pfizer/BioTech or Moderna.
During a briefing on Monday, Walensky said that a CDC/Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that between mid-December to mid-February, a majority of vaccine recipients received both doses within the recommended timeframe to do so — on the same day or within four days of the 21 days after the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and 28 days for the Moderna vaccine.
The CDC report found that only about 3% missed their second dose. Walensky said that can be attributed to systems in place ensuring that the missed doses did not go to waste.
After sharing the “incredibly reassuring” findings, Walensky added that the CDC is continuing to scale up its vaccination efforts while the public demonstrates that it is taking vaccinations against the virus “seriously.”
Walenky acknowledged the difficulty for some people to receive their second vaccine dose. The CDC director said that the agency is working across the government and with state and local officials to identify and address barriers to getting both doses.
Walensky said that some of those strategies include working with “trusted messengers in communities to spread science-based messages” on the importance of getting fully vaccinated, partnering with jurisdictions and vaccination providers to provide a more straightforward approach to scheduling both vaccination appointments, and having systems in place to send important reminders and rescheduling options to patients.
Walensky added that the recently announced availability of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also be an option for individuals who may prefer a single-dose vaccine.
Additionally, Walensky urged the public to encourage others to get vaccinated by helping loved ones with scheduling appointments, reminding them about their appointments and offering to driving them to their vaccination site.
Watch the briefing below:
