Vaccine Hesitancy Could Keep Inoculation Rates Lower Than Expected

More doses of COVID-19 vaccines will once again be available to Americans with the recommended pause on Johnson & Johnson’s shot being lifted by the CDC, but that doesn’t mean that rates of Americans receiving their doses will continue to grow at the same pace.

Due to the pause on Johnson & Johnson the last couple of weeks, the numbers of those receiving vaccines has dipped for the first time after the United States quickly got on pace to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of 2 million fully vaccinated Americans in his first 100 days in office. However, following a review of the one-shot vaccine after six cases of severe blood clots developed in women aged 18-48, the pause has been lifted, and 9 million more shots are ready to go.

However, according to CNN, hesitancy in the areas of the country that would benefit most from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could still pose a challenge to the administration’s goals.

The shot, which is only one dose and can be kept at warmer temperatures than both the two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, is one that could benefit those in the Southeastern U.S. and Mountain West—traditionally conservative territories which are Republican strongholds, and where more people supported and voted for former President Donald Trump.

Vaccination rates have been lower in counties where a majority of the population vote for the former President in the 2020 election and polls have shown that nearly half of those who identify as Republican have no plans to get a vaccine, with one from Monmouth University, showing that 43$ of Republicans likely never planned to get the shot, while 36% had received at least one shot, compared to 67% of Democrats and 47% of Independents. In the rural U.S., 3 in 10 don’t intend to get a vaccine unless required.

Following concerns over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which may cause more hesitancy, it could force the vaccination to continue at a more sluggish pace.