Tracking groundbreaking COVID-19 cases in Texas. This is what we know

HOUSTON – As cases of COVID-19 and concerns about the Delta variant increase, questions about groundbreaking cases or cases where people test positive after being fully vaccinated also increase.

“They’re actually not uncommon,” said Dr Linda Yancey, infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann. “No vaccine is 100% effective and our COVID vaccines are approximately 95% effective.”

The Texas Department of State Health Services said it has tracked 233 “clinically serious” breakthrough cases since February, or cases resulting in hospitalization or death. Of that total, 43 were deaths.

But the overall breakthrough case toll is likely higher since the state said it stopped tracking others in May when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shifted gears.

Yancey said the numbers represent only a fraction of the millions who have already received the shots.

“Vaccines are not barriers of impenetrability. They look more like seat belts, ”she said. “Seat belts don’t stop you from having traffic accidents, but they will absolutely protect you if you have one.”

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The Houston Health Department posted a chart on Twitter on Friday indicating that less than one percent of fully vaccinated Houstonians who tested last week tested positive for COVID-19.

Six Houstonian deaths linked to COVID are breakthrough cases and each had pre-existing conditions or was severely immunosuppressed, the city’s health department said.

“If you have a breakthrough infection, usually the breakthrough infection is much milder than those who are infected for the first time,” said Dr. Pedro Piedra, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine.

Can vaccinated people who get sick pass the virus on to someone else?

“They have the potential to release it to others, but for a much shorter period,” Piedra said.

Piedra’s main concern is not getting vaccinated, which he says makes up most of those currently hospitalized or dying from the virus.

Yancey said most of the people she now sees in her hospital are between the ages of 20 and 40 and are not vaccinated.