More than 30% of Americans are fully vaccinated, but vaccinations are slowing

As of May 5, 147.5 million people, or 44% of the US population, had received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose, with 107.3 million or 32% fully vaccinated. While every person 16 and older has been eligible to receive the vaccine since April 19 — and in most states before that date — the rate of vaccinations has slowed down since mid-April.

The seven-day average for people beginning their vaccinations hit 2 million on April 13, the highest level since January. The seven-day average for people who received the vaccine for the first time dropped 53% to 967,000 on May 5.

There continues to be demographic gaps in who is getting vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is age information for 91% of people who received at least one dose and 91% of fully vaccinated people. That partial data shows that as of May 5, 81% of people 65 and older have at least started vaccination, compared with 35% of people 18 to 29.

According to the CDC, there is racial and ethnic information for 52% of people who received at least one dose and 54% of fully vaccinated people. That limited data shows vaccination starting rates for Black Americans and Hispanic Americans at 19% and 18%, respectively, behind other major groupings.

According to the Census Bureau’s latest Household Pulse Survey taken March 17 to March 29, 16% of adults say they will probably not or definitely not get a vaccine.

Northeastern and Western states have the highest vaccination rates.

New Hampshire leads all states with 61% of its population at least partially vaccinated as of May 5. Other New England states — Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine — all had more than 55% of their populations partially or fully vaccinated.

In Mississippi, 31% of residents have received one or more doses, the lowest of any state. The rates are slightly higher in neighboring Alabama and Louisiana, where 33% and 32% of residents, respectively, have received one or more doses.

Monthly COVID-19 deaths dropped to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic.

There were 22,782 new COVID-19 deaths in the US during April, the lowest full-month total since the pandemic was declared. Between the start of the pandemic and the end of April, the US reported 569,446 cumulative COVID-19 deaths. (The monthly count excludes 2,244 undated deaths in Illinois and 2,612 undated deaths in Georgia added in April.)

While deaths were down in April, new cases increased 10% nationwide, up to 1.93 million from 1.76 million in March. However, cases declined in many states. The four states with the largest drop in cases — New York, Texas, New Jersey, and California — had a combined 23% decline from 572,000 confirmed in March to 439,000 in April.

On the other end of the spectrum, the four states with the biggest increase in cases — Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Florida — had a combined 45% increase in cases from 400,000 in March to 582,000 in April.

Michigan had April’s highest case rate, with 1,904 new cases per 100,000 residents. Arkansas had the lowest case count, with 176 cases per 100,000 people.

Small business owners are becoming more optimistic, but sentiment varies by industry.

The Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey has tracked small business sentiment and behavior since April 2020. Responses in the latest survey show that small business owners overall are feeling more positive about their business than last summer.

For example, in the survey period from August 9 to 15, 2020, 57% of respondents said their business closed permanently, would never return to normal, or would take more than six months to return to normal levels of operation. In the same period, 23% said their business had returned to or remained at normal operating levels.

In the latest results from April 12 to April 18, 46% of respondents said their business shut down, never would return to normal, or would take more than six months to return to normal. About 33% said their business is running normally.

Sentiment varies by industry. Small business owners in the educational services or the accommodations and food service industries were the most likely to respond with negative answers, while utilities, business management, and financial small business owners were the most optimistic.

Household spending returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data shows that some standard of living metrics are returning to early 2020 levels. Overall household spending in March 2021 was up 1.4% compared with January 2020.

Personal income was 28% higher in March 2021 than January 2020, which the BEA attributes to stimulus payments in the American Rescue Plan Act.

The saving rate as a percentage of disposable personal income nearly doubled between February (13.9%) and March (27.6%). The measure hit a pandemic high in April 2020 at 33.7%.

To learn more about the state of the US during the pandemic, visit the cases and deaths dashboard, the vaccine tracker, and the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.