For months, our report detailing COVID-19 outcomes by vaccination status has provided a telling look at the benefits of getting vaccinated.
Now we’ve updated this monthly report to look at outcomes for those who are up-to-date for all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including recommended booster doses, and those who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination but aren’t up-to-date with all the CDC-recommended doses. The report previously looked at those who completed a primary series but no booster and those who completed a primary series with at least one booster dose.
The reason for this change is simple: Stronger protection from hospitalization and death is seen in those who are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations. The majority of severe illness is occurring in those over age 50, which drives the rates of hospitalization and death. This new format allows us to see the additional protection from a second booster dose as well as quickly incorporate any new vaccination recommendations.
Today’s report shows that in July unvaccinated individuals ages 5 and older had 18 times the risk of hospitalization and 47 times the risk of dying than individuals who were up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations. Unvaccinated individuals were 6.9 times more likely to be hospitalized and 7.2 times more likely to die than people who were vaccinated but not up-to-date.
I shared last week that new COVID-19 boosters that are widely available across Arizona target both the original virus causing COVID-19 and the highly infectious Omicron subvariants that currently account for most cases in Arizona. The updated report shows how important booster doses are in increasing a person’s protection from severe illness, and this newly released booster is expected to continue that trend.
Getting up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination with this booster dose, at least two months after your last booster dose or your primary vaccination, is important for everyone 12 years and older but especially so for those who are older or who have chronic conditions that weaken their immune systems.
So please find a provider at azhealth.gov/FindVaccine and get up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination today.
