COVID-19 vaccine shots given in Arizona surpasses state’s case total
Feb 5, 2021, 5:42 PM | Updated: 8:58 pm
PHOENIX — The total of COVID-19 vaccine shots given in Arizona now exceeds the number of people who’ve tested positive for the coronavirus, according to state health department data.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said in its daily update Friday afternoon that 822,821 vaccines have been administered in the state.
That morning, the department reported 3,826 new cases on its COVID-19 dashboard, pushing the total to 775,622 infections.
As of Thursday’s updates, the state had around 771,000 cases with 766,000 vaccine doses administered.
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Arizona gets new vaccine shipments from the federal government each week. The total allocation was boosted to 1,195,000 vaccines on Monday, with 44% still unused. As of Friday, the state was down to 31% of its supply.
Since Monday, 151,308 shots have been given in Arizona.
The two vaccines approved for use in the U.S., Moderna and Pfizer, each require two doses spaced several weeks apart to reach fill effectiveness. Friday’s health department update showed 145,879 people completing the two-shot series, an increase from 102,002 on Monday.
Arizona has been requesting a larger allocation as it ramped up the pace of injections. The state-run mass vaccination sites at State Farm Stadium in Glendale and Phoenix Municipal Stadium have been operating below capacity because of the supply shortage. Both sites are booked through February, although more appointments will be added for the month if more vaccine becomes available.
The vaccines that have been in use in the U.S. since December must be kept frozen during shipment and storage. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines also have been in short supply, prompting authorities to limit distribution to high-risk populations.
Help could be on the way in the form of a 1-dose vaccine, which could be easily disbursed at pharmacies and doctor’s offices. The Johnsons & Johnson vaccine was submitted to U.S. regulators for review Thursday and is expected to receive emergency use authorization at the end of the month.
To learn more about vaccine availability, the Arizona Department of Health Services website has a vaccine-finder page with a map of locations and information about registration.
