(TNS) - California is more than eight weeks into a mass vaccination campaign to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, administering tens of thousands of shots a day.

The California Department of Public Health on its vaccine tracker reported Wednesday providers have administered 5,089,484 out of about 7.6 million doses that have been distributed to hospital systems and local health offices, an increase of 174,854 from Tuesday. The total grew by about 168,000 from Monday to Tuesday.

The state public health numbers don't distinguish between first and second doses. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 81% of California's shots given have been first doses: about 4 million, compared to at least about 929,000 second doses.

The COVID-19 vaccines currently available require two shots. Pfizer's shots should be taken three weeks apart and Moderna's four weeks apart.

The state changed its guidelines for dose timing this week, now saying that if one cannot get the second shot at those recommended intervals, "second doses may be given up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose."

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