FACT BRIEF

Are nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the US now among those who are unvaccinated?

Thursday, July 1, 2021

By Carla K. Johnson and Mike Stobbe

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YES

An Associated Press analysis of available government figures shows nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now involve people who weren’t vaccinated.

The analysis of data from May shows only about 150 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths were in fully vaccinated people. That translates to about 0.8%, or five deaths per day on average.

The figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also showed that “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people accounted for fewer than 1,200 of more than 107,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations in May. That’s about 1.1%.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the vaccine is so effective that “nearly every death, especially among adults, due to COVID-19, is, at this point, entirely preventable.” She called such deaths “particularly tragic.”

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Sources

AP News Nearly all COVID deaths in US are now among unvaccinated

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The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business.

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