“I’m worried we’re starting to get to that point – which I’ve always known exists somewhere on the horizon – where supply levels would exceed demand,” epidemiologist Dr. Abdul El-Sayed told CNN on Sunday.
Now, El-Sayed said, officials need to focus on delivering important messages to those populations about why vaccines are safe, effective and “absolutely necessary.” Experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have estimated that between 70% and 85% of the population must be immune – either through vaccination or previous infections – to control the virus.
So it is essential that we now continue to build the protection of the country and overcome obstacles such as hesitation, experts say – especially with regard to the variants circulating in the US.
“There has always been a race between vaccines and variants, and hesitation only slows that vaccine leg,” he added.
The expert urges young people to get vaccinated
Some experts are also beginning to express concern about younger groups and how likely they are to be vaccinated against the virus.
Dr. Jayne Morgan, clinical director of Covid Task Force at Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta, told CNN Sunday that she is concerned about how the virus is currently hitting younger groups.
Much of the country’s population over the age of 65 – who received priority access to vaccines over younger Americans – has already been vaccinated, and now officials see a change in the Covid-19 demographic data “to an age group.” smaller and younger ”. Morgan said.
“We need to start getting serious about it,” she said.
And Michigan officials, who are in the middle of another violent wave, also said their hospitals are filled with younger residents.
“It’s really featured in all of our ERs and honestly in our inpatients,” Beaumont Health CEO John Fox told CNN on Saturday. “We treat younger patients than we’ve seen before.”
The United States is awaiting a decision on the shooting of J&J
Meanwhile, as officials work to get as many gunshots as possible, the country awaits an important decision.
Vaccine advisers at the CDC, who have previously postponed a decision for more information, will meet again on April 23 to address the question of whether the J&J vaccine causes blood clots and, if so, what to do about it. .
Fauci told CNN on Sunday that he expects a decision to be made on the J&J vaccine by then.
“I don’t want to go before the CDC, the FDA and the advisory committee, but I would imagine that what we will see is that it will come back and come back in some kind of warning or restriction,” Fauci said.
“I think we will get it back in some way or form,” he added. “But what I’m sure of, I hope, is that we don’t see anything extended beyond Friday. We have to make a decision on Friday, one way or another.”
Fauci – like other health officials – said the break was important so that experts could gather all the data needed to help inform their decision.
“I think just assuming based on six (cases) that you know everything that’s going on with this, I don’t think it would be prudent,” Fauci said. “That’s why they took a break.”
CNN’s Naomi Thomas, Maggie Fox and Harry Enten contributed to this report.