As the COVID-19 vaccination campaign slows in the U.S., officials are citing young adults as one of the biggest barriers to mass immunity, reports The New York Times.
Experts say vaccinating young adults is critical in preventing new outbreaks, especially as more infectious variants emerge and spread.
Recently, the U.S. has been reporting fewer than a million people a day getting a vaccine, down from a mid-April peak of more than 3.3 million. Last week, White House officials said they had expected 70 percent of people 27 and older to receive at least a first dose by July 4, but when accounting for Americans aged 18 and up, the U.S. is likely to fall short of President Joe Biden’s goal, reports the Times.
So, why are young adults more likely to skip out on the COVID-19 shot?
1. Some are highly opposed to the vaccine, while others are simply disinterested or skeptical, reports the Times. Overlapping fear, busy schedules and misinformation all suggest that there isn't a single fix to the issue.
2. The straightforward pitch for older people — a vaccine may save your life — isn't as effective for healthy young adults who know they're less likely to get severely sick. The public health message that older residents are at greatest risk "had an unintended consequence of helping young people feel like it wouldn't be a big deal if they get COVID-19," said Jodie Guest, PhD, professor of epidemiology at Atlanta-based Emory University.
3. About a third of adults ages 18-39 report being vaccinated, according to a recent federal report cited by the Times. Especially low rates were reported among those who are Black; people 24 or younger; and those who had lower incomes, less education and no health insurance.
4. Rare side effects have emerged as a serious concern. Officials said the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines may be tied to heart problems in about 1,200 Americans, many younger than 30, though they said the benefits of vaccination significantly outweigh the risks.
What can be done?
Pop-up clinics at workplaces, transit stops and sporting events have helped reach more young adults. Several states are using lotteries and other incentives to boost interest.
Jordan Tralins, 20, a student at Ithaca, N.Y.-based Cornell University, said she thought health officials had largely overlooked her peers. Discouraged by misinformation proliferating on social media, Ms. Tralins founded the Covid Campus Coalition, which now has people at more than 25 universities running Instagram accounts that debunk myths and provide information about how to get vaccinated.
"In order to really capture people my age, and get us to focus and get excited, you need to use creativity," Ms. Tralins told the Times. "And I think that this wasn't something that adults, and whoever is in charge of the vaccine rollout, were really thinking about."