Dropping cases show covid shots working
Welcome proof that vaccines are working comes from those who have received them. In Britain, Israel and the United States, coronavirus infections have plummeted among older people who were first to get the shots. This does not mean that the United States or the rest of the world has turned the corner against the pandemic. But it does show the power of vaccines as a tool if they can be administered widely enough — a goal that demands maximum effort everywhere.
In the large Michigan outbreak of recent weeks, more younger people are being admitted to hospitals; one reason is that twothirds of Michigan residents age 65 or older have been fully vaccinated, protecting the vulnerable and reducing hospitalizations. The demographic trend is evident nationwide. A year ago, when the pandemic was taking off and ravaging nursing homes, the oldest Americans, over 80 years, were the most severely hit age group on a weekly basis, with 158 cases per 100,000 people. A year later, they are at 48 cases per 100,000, while the hardest-hit are those 18 to 34 years old. In Britain, a decision was made to spread the first doses as widely as possible, and to prioritize by age groups, as well as to impose strict lockdowns. As each age group became eligible for vaccines, its share of new infections dove.
This data bolsters the assumption that if enough people are vaccinated, the population will reach herd immunity, the point at which vaccination, combined with antibodies from previous infection, will offer fewer and fewer green fields for infection, somewhere over 70%. In Israel, the concept appears to be working with particular acuity — with 59.5% of the population receiving at least one dose, cases have slowed to a relative trickle.
For larger countries, herd immunity might be more elusive, potentially eroded by new virus variants, but the data strongly reinforces that vaccination is the right strategy. A cause for concern is that the campaign has slowed in the past week because of the pause in administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after reports of some patients suffering a rare blood clot. The pause, by the government, was a laudable effort to be transparent and preserve public trust in the regulatory process. It has now been lifted, but it is clear the delay deepened hesitancy among some about this vaccine.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that among unvaccinated adults, only about 1 in 4 would now be willing to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, while three-fourths of respondents said they were not willing. This suggests that the Biden administration, which did an admirable job launching a robust and accelerating vaccine campaign, must redouble efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy and reach every single person who wants a shot or can be persuaded to accept one. It is smart of the United States to give away vaccines in storage that won’t be used here because the same dynamic affects every corner of the globe.
The vaccines are working, but so is the virus.