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This page offers all of Delaware Public Media's ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is affecting the First State. Check here regularly for the latest new and information.

About 7,000 more first shots would push Delaware past Fourth of July vaccination goal

Daniel Schludi / Unsplash

Gov. John Carney admits “it’s going to be tight” as Delaware tries to vaccinate 70 percent of its population by July 4th

To date, 69.1 percent of all adult Delawareans have received at least one shot—including more than 92 percent of all seniors. 

Carney says that means just under 7,000 more people in the state need to get their first shot in less than two weeks to meet President Biden’s 70 percent goal set back in May. 

But Carney says demand in Delaware is decreasing. 

“We make available [the vaccine] in the community knocking on doors and we don’t get many takers, so to speak,” he said Tuesday. “There’s still some that we’re able to coax to take that vaccine; others that maybe haven’t taken the time.”      

So far 16 states have reached the goal, but the Biden administration says the nation will not reach 70 percent as a whole by the 4th. 

Delaware’s vaccine incentive program ends at the end of the month with a $302,000 grand prize drawing.

Carney says the state will continue to push the vaccine after the incentives end and after the 4th. 

“It’s not the end. It may be the end of the beginning. It’s certainly not the end,” he said. “We’re going to focus on the younger age eligible children and students looking forward to bringing children back for in-person instruction next fall. We really need to get those numbers up.”      

So far about 35 percent of all Delawareans ages 12 to 17 have received at least one shot. The same is true for about 41 percent of those 18 to 34.

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