An Associated Press analysis of May's government data shows that only 1,200 of the more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations were caused by "breakthrough" infection in fully vaccinated individuals. This is about 0.1%.
Only 150 of the over 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths in May occurred in fully vaccinated individuals. This equates to approximately 0.8% or five deaths per week on average.
The AP analyzed data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because of limitations in the data, the CDC has not been able to estimate how many hospitalizations or deaths occur in fully vaccinated individuals.
These include: Only 45 states have reported breakthrough infections. Some are more aggressive in looking for these cases than others. Officials at the CDC said that such infections are likely to be understated.
The overall trend that emerged from the data is consistent with what many top experts and health care professionals are seeing across the country.
Andy Slavitt (an ex-advisor to the Biden administration regarding COVID-19) suggested earlier this month that 98% to 99 percent of Americans who are dying from the coronavirus were not vaccinated.
And Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC, stated on Tuesday that nearly every death, especially among adults due to COVID-19 is preventable. She called these deaths "particularly tragic."
The U.S. has seen a decline in deaths from the peak of over 3,400 per day in January, just one month after the vaccination drive began.
According to the CDC, 63% of vaccine-eligible Americans aged 12 or older have received at least one dose and 53% are fully vaccinated. Although vaccine is still scarce in many parts of the world, there are so many Americans who have it and the demand has dropped so much that shots remain unused.
Ross Bagne (68-year-old Cheyenne small-business owner) was eligible for the vaccine in February, but he didn't receive it. After spending three weeks in hospital, his lungs filled with fluid, he died June 4th, infected and not vaccinated. A stroke left him unable to swallow.
Karen McKnight, his sister in grief, said that her brother never went outside and didn't believe he would catch the disease. She was puzzled: "Why would you take the chance of not being vaccinated?"
Experts predict that the preventable deaths will not stop. Unvaccinated areas of the country could be affected by outbreaks in fall and winter. Ali Mokdad is a professor of health metrics sciences at University of Washington in Seattle. He said that modeling shows that the nation could see another 1,000 deaths per year next year.
Arkansas has one of the lowest rates of vaccination in the country, at 33%. This means that Arkansas is seeing an increase in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted his plea for people to get their shots.
The public health department in Seattle's King County found three deaths among fully-vaccinated people during a 60-day period. The remaining 95%, or 95%, of the 62 deaths were not vaccinated.
"Those are all someone's parents and grandparents, siblings, and friends," Dr. Mark Del Beccaro said, who leads a King County vaccination outreach program. "It's still quite a few deaths, but they can be prevented."
According to Dr. Alex Garza (a hospital administrator who heads a task force in the metropolitan area on COVID-19), more than 90% of COVID-19 patients in St. Louis are not vaccinated.
Garza stated that "the majority of them express some regret about not being vaccinated." "That's a very common refrain we hear from patients with COVID."
Some people may believe that stories of people dying from unvaccinated causes them to get shots. However, young adults, who are the least likely to get vaccinated, may be more motivated by the desire to protect their loved ones. David Michaels is an epidemiologist at George Washington University's School of Public Health in Washington.
Michaels stated that others will need to pay extra time to receive the shots and manage any side effects.
This month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration required that all health care providers, including hospitals and nursing homes provide this time off. Michaels, the OSHA head under President Barack Obama said that the agency should have extended the rule to include meat and poultry plants, as well as other areas with workers at risk.
Bagne, who lived alone ran a business that helped people in Wyoming incorporate their businesses for tax benefits. When he was planning to retire, he was closing down his business and contacting his sister April about a condition that left him confused and dizzy.
"Whatever it was. He wrote, "That bug took a lot out of me."
A neighbor convinced him to visit the hospital as his health began to deteriorate.
"Why was the message in his state so confusing that he didn’t grasp the importance of the vaccination?" His sister stated that he was bright. "I wish that he had gotten the vaccine. I'm sorry he didn’t understand why it could prevent him getting COVID."
