JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The United States hit a milestone in the vaccine front this past weekend.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50% of adults 18 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Duval County data specific to those 18 and older who have received at least one dose is not available. First Coast News wanted to compare apples to apples. Therefore, FCN calculated the figures when it comes to the percentage of the total population who have received at least one dose.
About 11% of the total population in Duval County has received at least one dose, according to the Florida Department of Health. About 14% of the total population has received at least one dose in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health, and 39.5% across the entire United States, according to the CDC.
“We’re definitely headed in the right direction when it when it comes to vaccines," Dr. Elizabeth Ransom of Baptist Health said.
Out of the entire population of the U.S., according to the CDC, about 25% are fully vaccinated.
When it comes to the state of Florida, according to Florida's Department of Health, which the CDC refers you to, about 24% are fully vaccinated.
"Hopefully, the pace will continue, and people will really start to come in and those who can will get vaccinated," she said.
According to Ransom, however, Duval and the nation still have a while to go. Ransom said to reach herd immunity, 70% to 85% of the entire population needs to be either fully vaccinated, or have already had COVID-19.
"It's really that that race between the variants that are so highly transmissible and getting everyone vaccinated, Ransom said. "It's absolutely critical for really stopping the pandemic in its tracks."
"We just really need to encourage folks to continue to try to sign up to get those vaccines. We’re all tired of the pandemic, and we've been hearing about it for forever, but if people haven't been vaccinated, it's a great opportunity to get out there and get vaccinated," Ransom continued. "It's much better than than the alternative of possibly getting sick with COVID."
When it comes to those 65 and older, 70% of that age group has been vaccinated in Duval County. About 66% of those 65 and older have been vaccinated nationwide.
Starting Monday, April 19, any adult 16 or older was able to get the vaccine nationwide. All of the data above is as of April 18.