May 24 (UPI) — Rhode Island has become the eighth state to vaccinate at least 70% of its adult population as of Sunday, according to data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State data show that 70.6% of adults in Rhode Island have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, joining Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Vermont. Vermont was the best with 81.1. The state with the worst percentage was Mississippi at 42.9%.
To date, the United States has administered 285,720,586 vaccine doses with 49.2% of the population having received at least one, while 130,014,175 people are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Among U.S. adults, 61.3% have received at least one vaccine dose and 49.6% are fully vaccinated.
However, data reported by the CDC on Thursday showed that the average daily pace for vaccinations had fallen 50% from its peak in April.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky last week told CNN that the agency was pushing businesses to provide support to get their employees vaccinated to help increase rates.
“We are really asking the businesses to work with their workers to make sure that they have the paid time off to get themselves vaccinated so they can be safe,” she said.
New daily cases and deaths have dropped amid the U.S. vaccine effort with the nation reporting 19,778 cases and 480 deaths through Sunday down from peaks of about 304,000 daily cases and 4,400 deaths in January, according to data gathered by Johns Hopkins University.
Overall, the United States continues to lead the world with 33,114,388 total cases and a death toll of 589,855 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
California, which leads the nation with 3,672,963 cases and 61,755 total deaths since added 1,308 new cases and 33 deaths on Sunday down from peaks of 60,264 cases and 695 deaths in January.
The state has administered 35,255,229 vaccine doses and 49% of its population is fully vaccinated along with 13.2% who have received at least one dose.
Texas reported 519 new cases and 16 deaths on Sunday and ranks second in the nation in cases with 2,508,007 cases along with 50,154 fatalities. To date, Texas has administered 21,412,687 vaccine doses and 51.29% of people age 12 and older have received at least one dose, while 40.96% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
Florida ranks third in the nation in total cases with 2,310,335 total cases and 35,474 resident deaths, while reporting 2,069 infections and 11 resident deaths Sunday. Florida has administered 17,228,463 vaccine doses and 2,040,510 eligible residents have received at least one vaccine dose while 7,965,477 are fully vaccinated.
New York reported 1,073 new cases and 12 deaths on Sunday, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a statewide positivity rate of 0.77%, the lowest since August. The state ranks fourth in total cases with 2,078,417 along with 53,112 deaths.
As of Sunday, New York has administered 19,110,944 vaccine doses with 51.9% of its population receiving at least one dose and 43.9% fully vaccinated.
Illinois reported 943 new cases and 24 deaths on Sunday as it ranks fifth in total cases at 1,375,508 along with a death toll of 22,623. The state has administered 10,843,665 vaccine doses with 39.79% of its population fully vaccinated and 56% of eligible residents with at least one dose.
