More than 1.74 billion shots given

The biggest vaccination campaign in history is underway. More than 1.78 billion doses have been administered across 176 countries, according to data collected by Bloomberg. The latest rate was roughly 30.6 million doses a day.

In the U.S., 291 million doses have been given so far. In the last week, an average of 1.62 million doses per day were administered.

World Map of Vaccinations
More than 1.78 billion doses have been administered—enough to fully vaccinate 11.6% of the global population. Enough doses have now been administered to fully vaccinate 11.6% of the global population—but the distribution has been lopsided. Countries and regions with the highest incomes are getting vaccinated more than 30 times faster than those with the lowest.

When will life return to normal?
While the best vaccines are thought to be 95% effective, it takes a coordinated campaign to stop a pandemic. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious-disease official in the U.S., has said that vaccinating 70% to 85% of the U.S. population would enable a return to normalcy.

On a global scale, that’s a daunting level of vaccination. At the current pace of 30.6 million a day, it would take another year to achieve a high level of global immunity. The rate, however, is steadily increasing, and new vaccines by additional manufacturers are coming to market.

Are we bending the curve yet?
Israel was first to show that vaccinations were having a nationwide effect. The country has led the world in vaccinations, and by February more than 84% of people ages 70 and older had received two doses. Severe covid cases and deaths declined rapidly. A separate analysis in the U.K. showed similar results.

It’s now a life-and-death contest between vaccine and virus. New strains threaten renewed outbreaks. In the early stages of a campaign, the effect of vaccinations are often outweighed by other factors of transmissibility: virus mutations, seasonality, effectiveness of mask use and social distancing. In time, higher vaccination rates should limit the Covid-19 burden around the world.

Vaccinations vs. Cases
Covid rates have generally flattened or declined where vaccination rates are highest. Currently, places have administered enough shots to cover at least of the population.

Since the start of the global vaccination campaign, countries have experienced unequal access to vaccines and varying degrees of efficiency in getting shots into people’s arms. Before March, few African nations had received a single shipment of shots. In the U.S., 87.6 doses have been administered for every 100 people.

Delivering billions of vaccines to stop the spread of Covid-19 worldwide will be one of the greatest logistical challenges ever undertaken.

Race to End the Pandemic
Seychelles leads the world, with enough vaccinations to cover 68.5% of its population

US Vaccinations: State by State
Roughly half of the U.S. population has now received at least one dose, and states are flush with supply. Drugmakers have promised to deliver enough shots to fully vaccinate more than 300 million people in the U.S. by the end of June. That’s enough to cover everyone ages 12 and older—the entire population for which vaccines are currently approved.

Distribution in the U.S. is directed by the federal government. Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine, as well as Moderna’s shot both require two doses taken several weeks apart. J&J’s inoculation requires just a single dose.

A new beginning
It takes about two weeks after a final vaccine dose for immunity to fully develop. After that, masks and social distancing are no longer necessary, according to the latest CDC guidance issued on May 13. It’s a dramatic change in guidance that caught many by surprise. Life can begin to return to normal. Grandparents can spend time with their grandchildren again.

Unvaccinated people, including children, should still wear masks indoors, according to the CDC. Masks are still required by many businesses and state or local governments.

Vaccine Timeline
Bloomberg is tracking the development of nine of the globe’s most promising vaccines. A total of seven vaccines are now available for public use, in limited quantities, in at least 176 countries.

Nations have poured billions of dollars into developing new vaccine technologies, testing them in thousands of volunteers, scaling up manufacturing, and then bringing them to market in record time.

None of these shots, on its own, is enough to inoculate a global population of some 7.8 billion people. But together they represent humanity’s best chance of ending a scourge that has claimed more than 3 million lives and triggered global economic calamity. Bloomberg