Health officials fighting vaccine reluctance as demand for appointments slows

Vaccination sites are seeing a drop in appointments after the initial high demand that occurred when eligibility was opened to all adults.

It appears we have now entered the portion of the pandemic when the problem is no longer a lack of vaccine, but a lack of people who want to take it.

Earlier this month, the country was averaging more than 3 million doses administered in a day, peaking at one point at over 4 million in a single day. Now that figure has dropped below 3 million per day.

Two groups that are statistically less likely to get vaccinated: Republicans and young people.

So this week in an effort to reach young adults, both the Cal State and University of California systems announced they plan to require the more than 1 million students and staff across 33 schools to get vaccinated before they can return to campus in the fall.

RELATED: USC, CSU systems to require vaccinations in the fall

CSU and UC officials announced Thursday that those who need to access any facilities on campuses next fall will need to be immunized.

And to get Republicans to buy in? Some GOP lawmakers are getting personally involved.

Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, who is also a doctor, is helping adminster shots and answer questions.

"Republicans are more skeptical of government, and when the government comes out and says, we think you ought to take the vaccine, some people's natural reaction is, let me think about that, they hesitate a little bit," Harris acknowledged.

And to convince everyone else? Dr. Anthony Fauci tells Eyewitness News it just takes the power of persuasion.

Dr. Anthony Fauci addresses concerns about Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke to ABC7 about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as well as nationwide efforts to convince more people to get vaccinated.

"I think we need to extend ourselves more," said Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "We have a COVID-19 community corps."

"These could be sports figures, entertainers, clergy, a variety of other organizations or people that the community trusts. And they will go out and esential try to convince peope and listen to what their concern is."

It also helps that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is now being allowed to resume, after a pause while federal officials reviewed reports of serious blood clots in a few rare cases.