Vaccinated Americans a majority of COVID deaths for first time in August: evaluation

For the primary time for the reason that starting of the pandemic, a majority of Americans dying from the coronavirus had been at the least partially vaccinated, in keeping with a brand new evaluation of federal and state knowledge. 

The waning efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and more and more contagious strains of the virus being unfold to aged and immunocompromised individuals have resulted in additional deaths amongst those that have taken at the least one vaccine dose, a Washington Post evaluation printed Wednesday finds. 

“Fifty-eight p.c of coronavirus deaths in August had been individuals who had been vaccinated or boosted,” the Post reported. 

The paper described a “troubling development” because the share of deaths of people that had been vaccinated has been “steadily rising” over the previous 12 months. 

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President Biden receives a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot on the White House on Oct. 25, 2022.
(Tom Brenner for The Washington Post by way of Getty Images)

“In September 2021, vaccinated individuals made up simply 23 p.c of coronavirus fatalities. In January and February this 12 months, it was as much as 42 p.c,” the Washington Post’s Fenit Nirappil and Dan Keating wrote. 

“We can not say this can be a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” mentioned Kaiser Family Foundation vp Cynthia Cox, who performed the evaluation on behalf of the Post. 

Top well being officers have repeatedly urged Americans to finish their major vaccine sequence and get boosted to maximise vaccine safety in opposition to COVID-19. 

WHITE HOUSE URGES AMERICANS TO DISCUSS COVID-19 VACCINES OVER THANKSGIVING 

White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha speaks throughout a each day information briefing on the White House on Oct. 25, 2022.
(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

At a press briefing Tuesday, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha unveiled the Biden administration’s new “six-week dash” marketing campaign to get Americans vaccinated this vacation season.

“Bottom line is that we’re doing every thing we will within the subsequent six weeks to assist households get their up to date COVID photographs by the tip of the 12 months, as a result of it is one of the best safety for this winter,” Jha mentioned, including that the most recent iteration of the COVID-19 vaccine is a “annually shot,” much like the flu shot. 

Outgoing White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci additionally spoke at Tuesday’s press briefing, the place he delivered his “last message” earlier than stepping down on the finish of the 12 months. 

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A syringe is ready with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on the Keystone First Wellness Center in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 15, 2021.
(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Fauci emphasised the security and efficacy of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines in stopping extreme sickness and deaths and inspired Americans to get vaccinated and boosted as quickly as doable. He famous that coronavirus vaccine effectiveness wanes over time and mentioned the illness should not be in comparison with different vaccine-treatable diseases like measles due to new rising variants each few months. 

NBC NEWS SUGGESTS KIDS ‘AVOID PHYSICAL INTERACTION’ WITH THE ‘UNVACCINATED’ THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Protesters collect for a rally in opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2022.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

“My message, and my last message, perhaps the ultimate message I provide you with from this podium, is that please, to your personal security, for that of your loved ones, get your up to date COVID 19 shot as quickly as you are eligible to guard your self, your loved ones and your neighborhood,” Fauci mentioned. “I urge you to go to vaccine.gov to discover a location the place you’ll be able to simply get an up to date vaccine, and please do it as quickly as doable.” 

Multiple medical consultants, together with Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, have acknowledged that the coronavirus vaccines don’t essentially defend individuals in opposition to an infection and transmission. 

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Despite this, a number of individuals, together with Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Lapado, had been criticized for suggesting that COVID vaccines weren’t as efficient as initially claimed.

In October, a New York state Supreme Court ordered all workers who had been fired due to New York City’s vaccine mandate be reinstated with again pay, discovering that “being vaccinated doesn’t forestall a person from contracting or transmitting COVID-19.”

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.