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An Alabama state health official on Friday revealed that nearly all of the deaths from COVID-19 in the state were in people not vaccinated against the virus.
State health worker Scott Harris told The Associated Press that only 26 of the 11,600 COVID-19 deaths in Alabama were fully vaccinated people, and nearly 2,000 COVID-19 patients currently treated in public hospitals are not vaccinated.
“I think it’s correct to say that we wouldn’t see those kinds of numbers if we had more people vaccinated,” Harris said. “Again, the number of cases is determined by people who are not vaccinated, which is unfortunate. “
Alabama has reportedly seen a drop in the number of residents who choose to be vaccinated. Harris noted on Friday that the state had seen an increase in hospitalizations and serious illness as a result.
State health officials have resumed advising people to resume wearing masks and getting vaccinated if they have not yet done so in a bid to mitigate the spread.
Nearly 1,923 people were reportedly hospitalized in Alabama on Friday. The state has not seen such high rates since late January, according to the AP.
Alabama recorded about 3,000 hospitalizations for COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic, and health officials are warning the state is closing in on that number. Harris said on Friday that about 93% of intensive care beds in Alabama hospitals have already reached capacity.
“It has been reported to us by hospitals that virtually all of these patients are unvaccinated patients,” Harris told the AP, adding that he was still working with the state to get conclusive numbers.
About 34% of Alabama’s population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 44% have received at least one dose of the vaccine, making the state one of the least vaccinated in the country, the AP reported. .
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