At 38.5% vaccinated, U.S. may be running low on people eager for a shot

So far, some real-world data seems to be backing up the worries. An analysis by Bloomberg of vaccine distribution and administration in all 50 states suggests that some areas and states are seeing unused doses pile up. A band of states in the south—Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, among others—has consistently struggled to use its vaccine supplies. There are also states like West Virginia, which has seen use decline. Early in the pandemic, West Virginia had been lauded for its fast and efficient vaccination rollout. Around February 19, it was logging that just about 7 percent of its vaccine supply had gone unused. Today, that figure is 26 percent. Clay Marsh, the state’s COVID-19 vaccine czar, told Bloomberg that, in that time frame, vaccination efforts have shifted from focusing on older populations to people in their teens to mid-30s. “We’re seeing more incidents of more people needing more convincing or needing more time to make their decision,” Marsh said. ​​​​​​“We’re right on that interface of having more vaccine than arms to put them in.” Similarly, officials with the Southern Nevada Health District announced Thursday that they, too, were having trouble keeping up the vaccination pace and would be shutting down a mass vaccination site on May 5.