Pennsylvania health officials: Almost all hospitalizations for covid, deaths among unvaccinated

Almost all of the covid-related hospitalizations and deaths in Pennsylvania are among the unvaccinated, state health officials said Thursday.

Of those hospitalized statewide, 97% are unvaccinated, Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said. Of the deaths currently occurring, she said, 99% are unvaccinated people.

“At this point, these deaths are preventable,” Beam said at a press conference.

To try to increase the number of fully vaccinated vaccines, the department will launch a text message campaign next week urging those who have only received one dose to receive their second injection.

More than 254,800 text messages will be sent early next week to people who received their first dose between December 14 and May 14 and did not receive a second injection. Beam said the campaign would be just a short text message, and she explained that while vaccines are most effective if the second injection is received within 42 days, “it’s never too late to get the second injection. .

“There is no excuse and there is no time to waste,” she said.

Covid-19 cases fell in the months after the vaccines became widespread, but cases began to rebound in the weeks after most mitigation measures were lifted in late May. The mask’s mandate for everyone in Pennsylvania, regardless of their immunization status, expired on June 27.

As of noon Thursday, 462 people were hospitalized for covid-19, according to the Ministry of Health. Of those, 87 were in an intensive care unit, and acting GP Dr Denise Johnson said 46 were on ventilators. A month ago, on June 29, 341 people were hospitalized and 57 were in intensive care, according to data from the department.

Just under 1,100 new cases were reported Thursday.

“The disappointing part of it all is that these hospitalizations, cases and deaths could have been avoided,” Johnson said. “We know that getting the vaccine significantly lowers the risk of getting sick with covid and being hospitalized. ”

Officials said that while the number of cases is increasing and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week released updated guidelines for masking in areas of high transmission, the focus in Pennsylvania remains on vaccinations.

“Be clear: a statewide masking warrant is not currently being considered for Pennsylvania,” Beam said. “We’re taking a close look at what the CDC has provided as advice for wearing masks indoors, but for now, we want to make sure people are really focused on the vaccination.”