US COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Dismal with Just 7% Adults and 2% Children Vaccinated; Surveillance Issues Hamper Efforts

Low COVID-19 vaccine uptake persists amid issues with commercial distribution leading to limited supply, cancellation of appointments, and billing confusion; surveillance challenges due to offline wastewater testing sites contract dispute further hinder efforts.

• About 7.1% of US adults and 2.1% of children have received updated COVID-19 vaccines, markedly subdued compared to initial expectations showing over half of adults planning to get the vaccinations.
• The disheartening vaccine uptake can be attributed partially to the rocky launch, as there were limited supplies, canceled appointments, and confusion in billing due to distribution through the commercial market.
• Another key challenge in mitigating another COVID-19 wave is the decline in surveillance and data reporting, with a quarter of wastewater testing sites offline due to a contract dispute, hampering predictions of potential surges.
• A sizable segment of the population remains reluctant or negative towards vaccination, with about 37% of adults stating they will probably or definitely not get vaccinated, paralleling the trend among parents deciding for their children.
• Despite the current low circulation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus is evolving at a faster rate than other respiratory viruses and still causing significant hospitalizations and deaths, and the older demographic is particularly vulnerable without a booster.

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