Thread by @yaneerbaryam

More clarity on breakthrough infections (people who get infected after having been vaccinated) is available. CDC data shows that of these breakthrough infections, 7% were known to be hospitalized and 1% died.

1/

nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavir…

In other words, according to this data, when someone does get a breakthrough infection, they have a similar chance of death as someone who got infected without being vaccinated. (Of course, vaccination does a lot to prevent infection in the first place.)

2/

The effect of variants? "Some of the breakthrough infections are thought to stem from certain strains of the virus that may be more resistant to vaccines, experts say. They also say some highly contagious variants may pose a greater risk of reinfection from other variants"

3/

Pfizer CEO says boosters may be needed in 6-12 months and new rounds: “We are studying the durability of the antibody response. It seems strong but there is some waning of that and no doubt the variants challenge..they make these vaccines work harder."

4/
cnbc.com/2021/04/15/pfi…

The vaccine is not expected to achieve elimination by itself. We have to decide to make elimination happen, with vaccines to help us get there.

5/

Thanks to @geekblake for helping with today's update.

Article says "5,800 breakthrough cases have been reported to the CDC, less than 0.08 percent of more than 76 million people in the U.S. who are fully vaccinated."

Note that this percent should be compared with percent infections for unvaccinated over same time (and behavior).