COVID-19 in vaccinated people: who is most vulnerable and how to prevent it?

None of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use worldwide are known to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2. What they prefer, it is hoped, is that those who are immune do not have a severe form of the disease or die.

However, the truth is that some countries are alarmed by the high number of coronavirus cases among those vaccinated. And among them, the United States, one of the countries with the highest percentage of the population vaccinated..

Among the most resonant cases in this country, Florida representative Vern Buchanan tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated, according to a statement from his office on Monday. Fully vaccinated entertainment reporter Catt Sadler has warned her hundreds of thousands of followers on her Instagram account not to “let their guard down” after falling ill after caring for someone with COVID-19. As of Thursday, six New York Yankees players tested positive, in what was the second round of those cases on the team.

The good news according to experts is that the number of infections in those vaccinated may be reduced, but it will take a much larger community effort to protect people from COVID-19.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “You have an infection in people who have been vaccinated when a person with such an infection tests positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 at least 14 days after being fully vaccinated”. That is, for vaccines with a two-dose schedule, full vaccination is done after two doses.

These infections can cause illness with symptoms, and some people may not have any symptoms. Research has shown that if people get infected after vaccination, they usually have a milder case.

And although it is known, based on safety and efficacy studies, that COVID-19 vaccines are highly protective against laboratory-confirmed infections and appear to offer protection against variants, a small fraction remains. infected, as with any other vaccine.

“There is no such thing as a 100% effective vaccine”. For Dr. Amy Edwards, associate medical director of pediatric infection control at UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, “the likelihood that a person who has not responded to the vaccine will come into contact with these diseases is very low. “. And I add: “The reason we are seeing more COVID infections in vaccinated people is that there are still a lot of unvaccinated people.”.

Along with other diseases like mumps or rubella, infections in vaccinees are very rare, Edwards said, because many people have been vaccinated against these diseases and mumps and rubella have poor circulation.

Another example is the flu shot, which reduces the risk of getting sick by 40 to 60 percent, according to studies. COVID-19 vaccines are much more protective – up to 95% effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations and death.

So things, As of July 12, 5,492 patients with these types of COVID-19 infections had been hospitalized or had died, according to the CDC.. This is a small number among the more than 159 million people who have been fully vaccinated in the United States.

It’s hard to draw specific conclusions about the infection rate from these numbers, but it’s likely an undercoverage, according to the CDC. Surveillance data is based on voluntary reports and not all reports are complete or even representative of the total number of infections.

What scientists do know is that 99.5% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States today are in unvaccinated people, according to Dr. Vivek Murthy, chief health officer of that country. country.

The CDC monitors vaccinated infections to identify people most likely to have these infections. The CDC said there was no unusual pattern so far.

Are there people more susceptible to infections among those vaccinated? It is not yet completely clear. However, a study of infections leading to hospitalization in Israel found that 6% of 152 people studied had no underlying health conditions.

The CDC has warned that vaccines may not protect people who are immunocompromised.

People with weakened immune systems are those who have had an organ transplant, are receiving cancer chemotherapy, are on dialysis, or are taking certain drugs that weaken the immune system.

Usually Older people may be more vulnerable to such an infection because studies show that the immune system deteriorates with age. A preprinted, non-peer reviewed study in England found that older people were at increased risk for such an infection.

For specialists, there is no doubt: “If we want to stop the cases of infection in the vaccinated people, then we have to vaccinate everyone, so there is no virus in circulation and then it does not. ‘will matter more,’ said Edwards.

Nationally, less than 50% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

If more people are vaccinated, the coronavirus has fewer people it can infect. It also limits the number of new variants that can be developed. More variants in circulation increase the likelihood that the coronavirus could escape vaccine protection.

“Again, even though the vaccine doesn’t offer complete protection, it does offer a lot of protection,” Edwards said. Even when they don’t work as well in immunocompromised patients, they offer some protection. This is why it is up to us to get vaccinated because we want to protect these people, the frail and the elderly, and everyone. “

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