Data from the CDC’s Aug. 24 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows fully vaccinated persons aged 16 years or older with COVID-19 were less likely than unvaccinated residents to be hospitalized, admitted to an intensive care unit, require mechanical ventilation or die from COVID when the Delta variant began emerging.
Researchers analyzed the cases of 43,127 Los Angeles County residents who had COVID-19 between May 1 and July 25 of this year. Twenty-five percent were fully vaccinated, 3% were partially vaccinated and 71% were unvaccinated.
According to the report, infection and hospitalization rates among unvaccinated persons were 4.9 and 29.2 times the rates, respectively, compared with fully vaccinated individuals.
“These data indicate that authorized vaccines protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19, even with increased community transmission of the newly predominant Delta variant. Efforts to enhance COVID-19 vaccination coverage, in coordination with other prevention strategies, are critical to preventing COVID-19–related hospitalizations and deaths,” the CDC said.
Read the full report here.