Less than 0.1 per cent of vaccinated Americans have been infected with coronavirus

The data shows that the existing vaccines have been overwhelmingly successful at stopping coronavirus infections

Graig Graziosi
Saturday 31 July 2021 21:16
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Less than 0.1 per cent of vaccinated Americans have contracted the coronavirus, according to date from the US Centres for Disease Control.

In a stunning confirmation that the existing coronavirus vaccines are an effective preventative to the virus, Axios reported CDC data showing that 99 per cent of vaccinated Americans have not been infected with the coronavirus.

"Breakthrough cases" - situations in which a vaccinated person becomes infected - occurred in 0.77 per cent of Americans who have been vaccinated. Only .004 per cent of vaccinated Americans have been hospitalised due to the virus, and .001 per cent have died.

The numbers put into perspective recent reporting that has focused on breakthrough cases. As more Americans take the vaccine, the number of breakthrough cases will necessarily rise. This is a matter of statistics, not an indication that the vaccine is becoming less effective.

"Vaccination is the most important strategy to prevent severe illness and death," the CDC said in a statement.

The CDC recently updated its mask guidance, recommending that fully vaccinated Americans continue to wear masks indoors to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant.

However, CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky noted that while vaccinated people can potentially spread the virus, the vast majority of transmission is between unvaccinated individuals.

That information has resulted in some criticism of the updated guidance, leaving some vaccinated Americans feeling as though they have to bear the brunt of virus mitigation efforts despite contributing little to actually spreading the virus.

The current Delta variant spike in cases is almost entirely among the unvaccinated population. While the Biden administration continues to push for more Americans to take the shot, the CDC and the White House have stated that there are no plans to enact a federal vaccine mandate.

Currently only half of the US adult population has been vaccinated. Children under 11 cannot take the vaccine. A small percentage of those who have not taken the vaccine have medical reasons - like severe allergies - keeping them from receiving the shot.

In the wake of the updated guidance, the Bide administration announced that all federal employees would need to either get vaccinated or submit to weekly coronavirus tests to prevent further spread of the Delta variant.

New York City and California have also enacted similar mandates for government employees, and a number of private companies have done the same.

Some lawmakers have pushed back on the CDC's updated mask guidance, arguing that the focus should be on getting the unvaccinated vaccinated.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, told CNN that the masks were an effective mitigation tactic in lieu of vaccines, but argued that the shots should be the primary focus for the government now.

Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of Florida, passed an executive order prohibiting schools from forcing students to wear masks. He also used his executive powers to end local mandates and emergency orders that placed coronavirus restrictions on businesses.

Mr DeSantis has urged his residents to take the vaccine, but despite his pleas his state has become the new epicentre of the US coronavirus pandemic. Floridians account for 1 in 5 of all new coronavirus cases nationwide.

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