The word 'lags' is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a verb or, less frequently, as a noun. For example: "The runner lagged behind the other competitors." or "The lags could not keep up with the rest of the group."
This might not be a problem if it were a drug for TB, malaria or AIDS – but critics of the HPV donation asked why cervical cancer received such a comprehensive effort in Rwanda – reaching 95% for 11-year-old girls when disease incidence lags well behind other vaccine-preventable diseases in the developing world (read the Rwandan health minister's persuasive rebuttal).
While Miliband's personal ratings have recovered slightly from the record lows of previous months, the Labour leader still lags well behind Cameron - and, with the PM's personal numbers stable, there is no sign of this dynamic changing any time soon.
Norris has also been alert to the barriers facing minority ethnic actors, arguing that Britain lags behind the US in casting black actors.
While shows such as Transparent and Orange is the New Black might have improved visibility on television, film still lags.
Public policy lags behind urbanisation, which often means that basic services, like schools, transportation, public spaces and land rights, are not delivered to the millions of people living in informal urban settlements.
It notes that the UK significantly lags the best performing OECD countries when it comes to GDP per head in real terms, adjusted for inflation and seen as a better guide to living standards than GDP taken alone.
The proportion of women in senior positions still lags behind men – there isn't an overlooked army of female experts waiting to be interviewed on television.
Kasich is a moderate figure cut from similar political cloth as Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey who is failing to revitalise his own presidential prospects and lags far behind in polls.
There is also scope for improving participation rate for men in higher education, which currently lags behind that of women.
It is my opinion – and my experience as a woman working in Republican politics – that my party's leadership and hierarchy lags behind the Democrat party establishment in terms of women holding leadership positions – although it is getting better.
Most of Russia's oil and gas output comes from western Siberia, but the region lags behind Moscow, St Petersburg and some southern areas in quality of life ratings.
