COVID-19 vaccinations greatly reduced hospitalization rates and deaths, report says

FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 file photo, vials for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are displayed on a tray at a temporary clinic set up by the New Hampshire National Guard in the parking lot of a high school in Exeter, N.H. The Food and Drug Administration ruled that transplant recipients and other similarly immune-compromised patients can get a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. But the decision, late Thursday night, Aug. 12, 2021, offers an extra dose only to those high-risk groups -- not the general public. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said COVID-19 vaccinations have helped prevent roughly 24,000 new infections and 3,600 deaths among seniors in Texas within the first five months.

According to a study by the Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), vaccinations were linked to a reduction of approximately 265,000 COVID-19 infections between January and May 2021.

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There was also an 11-12% reduction in hospitalizations since the vaccinations were rolled out, according to the report.

During the first nine months, 352,000 Americans died of COVID-19, prior to the availability of the vaccines, the report said.

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services said they are currently working to prioritize senior citizens 65 years and older who are eligible for Medicare, as 80% of the deaths reported since the start of the pandemic were said to be preventable.

People 65 years and older are now eligible to receive a booster shot, which can add additional protection against COVID-19, the department said.


About the Author:

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.