More than 38,000 of Iowa's COVID-19 vaccines are set to expire by the end of July and will have to be thrown out if uptake doesn't increase, the Des Moines Register reported.
On July 23, Iowa's public health department told the newspaper that 38,730 of the state's doses are set to expire by the end of July, and another 178,651 could expire by the end of August.
"Our local partners have been diligent in their administration methods, ensuring they use on hand supply before placing additional orders," a spokesperson for the health department told the Des Moines Register. "Counties have also worked collaboratively to redistribute doses within the state to meet the needs of Iowa communities."
Just under half of Iowans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to CDC data.