Almost 62,000 Iowans skipped their second COVID vaccine shot

At least 61,773 Iowans have skipped, missed or delayed getting their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to IDPH data Axios obtained this week through a records request.

Why it matters: Those who are not fully vaccinated are not fully protected, and that means it's more difficult for our communities to reach herd immunity.

• Worth noting: Of those who are tardy for their second dose, 23,104 were a week or less overdue.
• Data is limited on the vaccines' effectiveness when second doses are administered beyond the recommended timeframe. For Pfizer, that's 21 days; for Moderna, 28.
• But a second dose may be given up to six weeks after the first if necessary, according to the CDC.

The big picture: At least 33% of Iowans are fully vaccinated and 44% have at least one dose, according to the New York Times. That’s on par with the national average.

• Nationally, at least 5 million people missed their second doses. Side effect fears rank among the top reasons.

The state of play: The Johnson & Johnson pause was lifted a week ago and vaccine supplies have caught up with demand.

• For example, Hy-Vee this week opened walk-in vaccinations at its pharmacies.
• Widespread availability and convenience of the one-dose J&J will help boost our fully-vaccinated population, Sarah Ekstrand, a spokesperson for the IDPH, told Axios.