With 39 percent of North Carolinians fully vaccinated, the number of people getting vaccinated is beginning to plateau. One Duke expert says that may be an issue as pandemic restrictions are rapidly lifted.
Vaccinations have played a vital role in new state and federal recommendations, easing pandemic restrictions. Early public health data shows vaccinated individuals are significantly less likely to be infected and spread COVID-19.
This data was the primary driver behind the Centers for Disease Control easing its mask restrictions for vaccinated people in mid-May.
The United States is currently vaccinating more than a million people per day, which is an encouraging sign that needs to continue, according to Duke health policy expert and former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Mark McClellan.
“It’s a reminder that when people see that there are consequences to getting vaccinated, like being able to do the things that they want to do with more confidence,” McClellan said, “that’s added a boost to our vaccination rates.”
McClellan said actions like the easing of mask restrictions also help to decrease vaccine hesitancy because it serves an incentive for people to get their shots. He said he is hopeful vaccination rates will increase even more, but doing so will require the help of local businesses and schools.
“It’s very important for people to feel like they’re not being pressured but they’ve got some place to go to get their questions answered,” McClellan said. “There might be somebody they trust in their community, so we are going to see more efforts to set up neighborhood and community-based events.”
Keeping cases on a downward trend also means making sure that vaccines are more widely available, which could also be coming soon. McClellan said he expected the FDA to approve both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines for full approval.
“I expect that to happen if the FDA doesn’t see anything unexpected in their very careful review of the longer-term data,” McCellan said. “I expect that to happen before the fall as well.”
Pfizer, Moderna and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are currently FDA approved under emergency use. Full approval would mean the companies could market their vaccines directly to consumers, with targeted ads and commercials. It would also make it easier for businesses, schools and employers to require the vaccine.
McClellan said we need to be mindful of those who are physically or religiously unable to get vaccinated, while understanding that increased vaccination rates are critical for community protection.
“What all the evidence tells us,” he said, “and it’s reflected in the CDC guidance, is that life is much safer if you’ve been vaccinated.”
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