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STATEN ISLAND, NY – As new coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination warrants take effect and increasing numbers of New Yorkers receive their first vaccine, the city continues to monitor the vaccine’s effectiveness by recording the number of people vaccinated and catching the virus.
Medical experts have always said that COVID-19 infections in vaccinated people – commonly known as breakthrough cases – are expected, but in most cases the disease will be less severe.
According to the city, from August 23 to September 19 (the most recent data available), per 100,000 New Yorkers vaccinated, there were an average of 73 new cases per week.
During the same period, per 100,000 unvaccinated residents, there were 391 average weekly cases, a rate more than five times higher.
A chart from the New York City Department of Health shows the rate of COVID-19 cases among vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
Across the city, since the first vaccinations went into effect on January 17, there have been a total of 36,720 breakthrough cases. This represents about 7% of the total COVID-19 infections in New York City.
The vaccine has been shown to be more effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths; the revolutionary 1,930 hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 represent 4.4% of the total, and the 259 deaths represent 3.4% of New Yorkers killed by the virus since January 17.
A chart from the New York City Department of Health shows hospitalization rates for COVID-19 for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
More than 7,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the five boroughs this year.
EFFICIENCY OVER TIME
New York State also tracks COVID-19 cases by vaccination status and provides an estimate of vaccine effectiveness on a weekly basis.
The data is available on the state Department of Health’s website and dates back to the week of May 3.
With a peak of 92.4% of the vaccine’s estimated efficacy for the week of May 10, estimates trended steadily downward through late spring, leveling off in July in the 76% -77 range. %.
The most recent data, as of the week of September 6, puts the state-wide estimate of vaccine effectiveness at 77.2%.
A separate estimate of the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing hospitalization for COVID-19 is much higher and has been more stable since May, never dropping below 90% effectiveness. It currently stands at 94.8%.
Despite a few high-profile breakthrough cases, such as a spate of COVID-19 infections among vaccinated New York Yankees players and an outbreak that shut down the Broadway show “Aladdin” a day after it reopened, experts said that the data shows that the vaccine saves lives.
In August, Dr. Phil Otterbeck, president of medicine and endocrinology at Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC), told Advance / SILive.com that “[t]The vast majority of patients who were admitted to hospital in the past month were not vaccinated patients.
“There have been a few who entered the hospital with a history of vaccination, but the deaths were limited to those who were not vaccinated.”
Borough President James Oddo said at the time: “The disease, disease, death that we see here and across the country is extremely preventable.”
BOOSTERS
While there has been some controversy over using a booster to improve immunity in those who were vaccinated earlier this year, the state has started allowing a third shot for certain groups.
“Currently, booster doses are only available for those who meet the eligibility criteria AND received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for their first round of vaccines at least six months ago,” read on the state website.
To be eligible for a recall, New Yorkers must be either 65 years or older, residents of long-term care facilities, have an underlying health condition (if over 18) or are at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their work.
Residents of Staten Island can schedule a reminder injection using the city’s online appointment scheduling tool, or at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, or other healthcare providers.
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