Thread by @jfkirkegaard

An update; Vaccine news are improving across most of the EU as rollout accelerates. HU/MT now near US/UK levels, 3 laggards remains BG, LV and CR, while others roughly on par. Noticeably DE, ES and IT proceeding rapidly through EU vaccination rankings. A 🧵

2) A great communications gift meanwhile was given by @POTUS to the @EU_Commission this week, as US gov now hopes to "vaccinate 70% of adult Americans by July 4th". @vonderleyen could not have wished for more! apnews.com/article/corona…

3) @POTUS's new policy target is rhetorically similar enough to @vonderleyen's own goal of "having enough doses for vaccinating 70% of EU adults in July" to essentially signal to the EU publics and MS that the EU and US will "exit the pandemic together"

https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1389535344845012998

4) @EU_Commission couldn't wish for a better talking point to refute criticism of its vaccine procurement, as - assuming supplies materialize as planned which seems likely - responsibility for "falling behind the US" will now lie solely with MS govs not utilizing available vaccs

5) Crucially, most MS now use available vaccs close to the speed of supply, implying that actually vacc'ing 70% of EU residents by July is a credible target. EU (and UK) levels of full vacc'ing of high priority groups exceed that of US, despite higher overall US vacc levels.

6) Vaccine access/hesitancy at least among the oldest Europeans much lower than in the US, suggesting overall ~90% adult vacc rates seem feasible in EU/UK later in 2021, as current rollout programs are completed, if younger groups as willing to be jabbed as older Europeans.

7) US vaccination rates meanwhile have dropped significantly since mid-Apr - 1/3 overall and about 1/2 in terms of 1. jabs, so the change in Biden admin strategy is surely right and the "relatively modest" goal of 70% by July 4th sensible.

8) Declining US vacc rates is not predominantly due to the J&J suspension, but related to overall declining demand for vaccinations among Americans, as most "eager for vacc'ing groups" have already done so" and vacc-hesitancy appears robust among GOPers. washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04…

9) US search for arms to jab now instead include financial incentives and - if you are in for instance DC or New Jersey - free beer....

https://twitter.com/MayorBowser/status/1389636383443197954

10) Meanwhile US has now begun exporting its first vaccs to CA and MX, hopefully soon following the EU, China and (until recently) India as major vacc producers AND exporters.

11) and finally via @carlzimmer it should be recalled that the world may soon get a 3rd approved mRNA vaccines from @CureVacRNA, well suited for rollout also in emerging markets. End nytimes.com/2021/05/05/hea…

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