Arizona today hit a new milestone in the war on COVID-19: more than 4 million men, women and children over 12 have now received at least one dose of the vaccine.
“Arizonans are stepping up and doing their part to put this pandemic behind us,” said Don Herrington, interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. “This battle is not over but we’re clearly headed in the right direction.”
More than 3.5 million Arizonans are fully vaccinated, or about 55 percent of the state’s population.
If you aren’t among those armed against COVID, here are four reasons to roll up your sleeve today:
- The highly contagious Delta variant continues infecting Arizonans, nearly all of them unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated.
- With hundreds of millions of doses administered nationwide, vaccines have proven to be safe and highly effective at reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. The Pfizer vaccine, which is widely available around Arizona, now has full federal approval for use in those 16 and older.
- As was the case with polio, measles, whooping cough, tetanus, and many other diseases, vaccination offers a certain path to finally checking COVID-19 and returning to normal life.
- Hospitals across Arizona report the vast majority of COVID patients now being treated have not been vaccinated.
As of this morning, 7,287,508 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to 4,005,841 people in Arizona, including 3,517,935 who are fully vaccinated. More than 55% of all Arizonans have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccination has ramped up in Arizona since mid-July. During the week beginning Aug. 15, 104,000 were vaccinated, the first since the week of June 13 that more than 100,000 people have been vaccinated in Arizona.
For those who have already had COVID-19, it isn’t clear how long natural protection lasts, while vaccination for those who’ve had COVID-19 has proven to offer long-lasting benefits.
Safe, free, and highly effective COVID-19 vaccines are available today at hundreds of locations throughout Arizona. To protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community, please find a convenient location azdhs.gov/FindVaccine and get vaccinated.
To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination, please visit azdhs.gov/COVID19Vaccines.
