Lifestyle Health Unvaccinated Adults 65 and Older Are Almost 50 Times More Likely to Be Hospitalized with COVID The CDC's new findings compare the unvaccinated to boostered individuals in the same age group By Abigail Adams Abigail Adams Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 21, 2022 12:54PM EST Vaccine. Photo: Getty New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that unvaccinated adults age 50 and over are much more likely to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 than their vaccinated peers. Compared to those that received a third shot as a booster, unvaccinated individuals age 65 and older were 49 times more likely to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19, while those aged 50 to 64 are 44 times more likely. Unvaccinated individuals age 65 and older were 17 times more likely to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 than those that don't have a booster, but have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to data collected by the CDC in December. Those aged 50 to 64 were 17 times more likely to go to the hospital than their peers, as well. In general, unvaccinated adults age 18 and older were 16 times more likely to be hospitalized than individuals of the same age who are fully vaccinated. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Fauci Says the FDA Could Approve the COVID Vaccine for Kids Under 5 Next Month About 64% of the U.S. population over the age of 5 have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine while 75.3% have received at least one dose, according to the CDC. All individuals over the age of 5 are eligible to receive two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The recent COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant has put a strain on the healthcare system, with hospitals in 24 states nearing full capacity as of last week. That same week, hospitalizations for the coronavirus reached record highs across the nation, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Vaccine. Getty Shortly after the outbreak, Moderna announced that a booster of its COVID-19 vaccine offered increased antibody levels "37-fold higher than pre-boost levels" against the omicron variant. Pfizer and BioNTech also said their vaccine would provide significant protection against the new strain. Biden Administration to Distribute 400 Million Free N95 Face Masks Nationwide At the beginning of 2022, the CDC reduced the recommended wait time for a Pfizer-BioNTech booster from six months after receiving their first two doses to five. The CDC now recommends all individuals age 12 and up receive a COVID-19 booster shot should they be fully vaccinated. Like unvaccinated adults ages 50 and up, the CDC said last week that unimmunized pregnant women were more likely to be hospitalized than their inoculated pregnant peers. These individuals, who made up 77% of the cases in pregnant women between December 2020 and October 2021, were also at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms and newborn deaths. As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.