NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As of this weekend, 50.2% of Tennesseans 12 and older have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Of the eligible Tennesseans, 42.2% are now considered fully vaccinated. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or after the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Although the state has hit this milestone, Tennessee still has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 62.3% of Americans have received at least one dose and 53% are considered fully vaccinated.
In recent weeks, the state has been in a battle against a new wave of COVID-19 cases, lead by the spread of the delta variant.
The surge in new cases has caused a strain on hospitals. Multiple times this week the state broke its record number of active COVID-19 hospitalizations, with 3,588 patients reported on September 4, 83 of which are children. No vaccine has been granted emergency use for children under 12.
