Vaccines Work: 97% of COVID deaths, 95% of hospitalizations and 94% of cases are among unvaccinated Pennsylvanians

The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s report on COVID-19 post-vaccination cases, commonly known as “breakthrough cases,” shows the overwhelming majority of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state are among the unvaccinated. 

“With nearly 7 million Pennsylvanians fully vaccinated, the data makes it clear: the vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness from COVID-19,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam recently said during a news conference at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital’s Suburban Pavilion. 

“The overwhelming majority of the COVID-19 related cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Pennsylvania occurred in people who were not vaccinated,” she said. “In fact, the data shows that compared to unvaccinated people, fully vaccinated Pennsylvanians are seven times less likely to get COVID-19, and eight times less likely to die from COVID-19.” 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines post-vaccination cases as individuals who are fully vaccinated and tested positive for COVID-19 more than 14 days after they completed their full one-dose or two-dose vaccination series. They are also referred to as vaccine breakthrough cases. 

The online report shows that since January 2021: 

• 97 % of COVID-19-related deaths were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people. Among a total of 6,472 COVID-19-related deaths identified in Pennsylvania in 2021, the latest data shows 213, or 3%, post-vaccination deaths identified. Cumulative death incidence among the unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated was 7.9 times as high as the death incidence among the fully vaccinated. 
• 95 % of reported hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people. Among a total of 34,468 hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission reported in Pennsylvania, 1,820 were reported to have occurred in fully vaccinated people. These figures account for data from 55% of all hospitals and 69% of acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania, representing approximately 80 percent of acute care beds in the state. 
• 94% of reported COVID-19 cases were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people. Among a total of 639,729 positive cases, there have been 35,389, or  6%, identified post-vaccination cases. Cumulative case incidence among the unvaccinated and not fully vaccinated was 7.1 times as high as the case incidence among the fully vaccinated. 

“That means that 97% of deaths reported through the beginning of September were in unvaccinated or not fully-vaccinated people,” Beam said.  

“This data is further proof that the vaccines are our best tool to protect ourselves against the virus, keep our children learning in schools, keep our workforce in-person, and foster social and economic recovery,” she said. “Every person who chooses to get vaccinated brings us a step closer to moving past the pandemic.”

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