The pace of vaccinations in the U.S. is rising as the delta variant spreads, and the overwhelming majority of virus-related deaths are occuring in the unvaccinated, CNN reported Aug. 1.
The CDC reported that 816,203 COVID-19 shots were given July 31, the fifth straight day the agency reported more than 700,000 shots given in a day. The seven-day average of vaccinations is now 662,529 per day, the highest average since July 7, CNN reported. The seven-day average of people becoming fully vaccinated is 247,385 people per day.
Francis Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health, told CNN that in the last two weeks, vaccination rates have risen 56 percent nationally.
"This may be a tipping point for those who have been hesitant to say, 'OK, it's time,'" Dr. Collins said. "I hope that's what's happening. That's what desperately needs to happen if we're going to get this delta variant put back in its place."
Twenty states have now fully vaccinated more than half of their population, CNN reported.
U.S. health officials have said 97 percent of COVID-19-related hospital admissions and 99.5 percent of COVID-19 deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people, according to CNBC.