by Elizabeth Troutman
Half of all Arizonans have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ most recent data released Thursday morning.
Of Arizona’s population of 7,189,020, the ADHS said that the 50% mark was hit with Thursday’s update that 3,594,004 people have now received at least one dose of vaccine. Of those, 3,186,689 people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of July 8, with a total of 6,590,483 vaccine doses administered in the Grand Canyon state.
Arizona vaccine distribution peaked in April and began to downturn in May. The ADHS opened several state-run vaccination sites in Maricopa, Pima, and Yuma counties, all of which closed by the end of June.
Arizona has reached the 50% milestone shortly before Pfizer’s request for U.S. authorization for a third dose of its vaccine as a booster shot.
Steve Elliott, Communications Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, told The Center Square that the data showing that Arizona reached the 50% mark uses numbers reported directly to the state over the state’s entire population.
“Arizona almost certainly passed 50% of the total population vaccinated with at least one dose some time ago because of vaccinations handled through the federal government, particularly on Native American reservations, that aren’t reported directly to the state,” Elliot said.
He restated the ADHS message regarding the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, including its ability to fight the COVID-19 Delta variant.
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Elizabeth Troutman contributes to The Center Square.
