1/ Breaking down breakthrough infections: a short 🧵.
As more people are vaccinated w/CoV-19 vaccines, we hear more about so-called breakthrough infections being reported among vaccinated people, which can be confusing.
As more people are vaccinated w/CoV-19 vaccines, we hear more about so-called breakthrough infections being reported among vaccinated people, which can be confusing.
2/ The MAIN PURPOSE and value of the CoV-19 vaccine is to PREVENT SERIOUS INFECTIONS, not any infection or milder infections.
3/ Breakthrough cases for any vaccine are expected as more people are vaccinated because no vaccine is 100% protective. And the more people that are vaccinated, the more mild "breakthrough" cases we would expect.
4/ So, calling mild or asymptomatic cases breakthrough cases is misleading in that these less serious infections are not what the vaccine is really intended to prevent.
5/ The truth is that CoV-19 vaccines are HIGHLY PROTECTIVE against serious infections leading to hospitalization and/or death for the all commonly circulating SARS-COV-2 viruses in the US that cause COVID-19, including the Delta variant.
6/ For example, over the past 30 days in King County, Washington:
- 81% of cases are not fully vaccinated
- 89% of COVID-related hospitalizations are not fully vaccinated
- 91% of COVID-related deaths are not fully vaccinated.
- 81% of cases are not fully vaccinated
- 89% of COVID-related hospitalizations are not fully vaccinated
- 91% of COVID-related deaths are not fully vaccinated.
7/ During this time period, residents who are NOT fully vaccinated were:
- 10 times more likely to test positive for COVID
- 15 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19
- 12 times more likely to die due to COVID-19-related illness.
- 10 times more likely to test positive for COVID
- 15 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19
- 12 times more likely to die due to COVID-19-related illness.
8/ There are 1,450,000 FULLY-VACCINATED people in King Co. as of July 16th. Among the fully-vaccinated, there have been:
- 1,489 CoV-19 cases = 0.103% (1/10th of 1%)
- 62 hospitalizations = 0.004% (4 thousandths of 1%)
- 11 deaths = 0.001% (1 one-thousandth of 1%)
- 1,489 CoV-19 cases = 0.103% (1/10th of 1%)
- 62 hospitalizations = 0.004% (4 thousandths of 1%)
- 11 deaths = 0.001% (1 one-thousandth of 1%)
9/ So: the likelihood of a vaccinated person developing "breakthrough" CoV-19 is currently LOW, but can happen & is usually not severe. Some of these can spread the infection to others. But it is very uncommon.
10/10 CoV-19 vaccination works extremely well in preventing serious CoV-19 infections, as intended. Vaccinated people are MUCH, MUCH less likely to develop and spread CoV-19 infections than unvaccinated people.
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