By Hanna Park
(MONTPELIER, Vt.) Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) on Monday lifted all remaining coronavirus restrictions after 80% of the state's eligible residents received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the first state in the U.S. to reach that threshold.
“Vermonters met this difficult moment from the very start,” Scott said, per The Associated Press.
Vermont has led the nation in vaccinations, with cases declining steadily in the state. The state’s 14-day average in coronavirus cases had declined by 34%, and hospitalizations also dropped by 78% as of Monday, according to The New York Times.
As of June 2, 70% of adults in 12 U.S. states have received at least one shot, according to CNBC. Overall, 64.4% of Americans nationwide have received at least one dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state’s milestone on vaccinating its eligible population comes as nationwide vaccination rates declined in recent weeks.
While the U.S. averaged about 1 million daily vaccinations over the last week, it peaked with an average of 3.3 million vaccinations per day in early April, CNN reports.