Connecticut becomes the first state with half of all adults fully vaccinated amid slowing pace of U.S. inoculations

• Connecticut is the first state in the U.S. in which half of all adults are fully vaccinated, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
• The nationwide pace of daily shots administered continued to decline from peak levels as reported cases, hospitalizations, and deaths all trended downward.

Connecticut is the first state in the United States in which half of all adults are fully vaccinated, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data published Monday showed as the nationwide pace of daily shots continued to decline from peak levels.

At the same time, the U.S. outbreak is showing signs of slowing, with reported cases, hospitalizations, and deaths all trending downward. Over the weekend, the rate of daily infections fell below 50,000 per day for the first time since October.

U.S. share of the population vaccinated

Among Americans aged 18 and older, 56% have received at least one vaccine dose and 41% are fully vaccinated.

Connecticut on Monday reported that half of its adult residents have a completed vaccination program, according to the CDC, the first state in the country to do so.

"That's an extraordinary achievement that allows the reopening to continue in a prudent way," Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said of the milestone at a news conference Monday.

Vaccination rates vary by state. New Mexico, South Dakota, Maine, and Vermont each have 48% or more of adults fully vaccinated, while that figure is below 33% in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.

U.S. vaccine shots administered

The nationwide pace of daily shots fell further from peak levels on Monday, down to an average of 2.3 million reported vaccinations per day from a high point of 3.4 million on April 13.

The slowdown comes as meeting demand for vaccines is no longer the main challenge the country faces. States are employing strategies to address access and hesitancy barriers, including community outreach and education programs.

Some states are also offering incentives for getting vaccinated, including free beer in New Jersey and $100 savings bonds in West Virginia.

U.S. Covid cases

The U.S. is reporting 49,500 new infections per day, based on a seven-day average of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The country was averaging more than 70,000 daily cases in mid-April.

Average daily case counts have fallen by 5% or more in the majority of states over the past week.

U.S. Covid deaths

As of Monday, the seven-day average of daily U.S. Covid deaths is 670.

More than 577,500 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic.

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