Current COVID-19 hospitalizations are very different from what they were a year ago. But those who have been hospitalized have this in common.
As the pandemic progresses, doctors from across the country are reporting fewer hospitalizations. The one thing they all have in common? The patients hospitalized haven’t been vaccinated.
“Less than 1% of our hospitalized COVID patients are vaccinated,” infectious disease expert Dr. Mark Sannes told USA Today.
Vaccinated people are very unlikely to get seriously sick and be hospitalized due to COVID-19, making it all the more pressing and important for unvaccinated people to get their shot.
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According to recent hospital data, the hospitals with the highest hospitalization rates tend to be located in states with low vaccination. These include Idaho, Wyoming, Arkansas, and Missouri.
As the vaccine program develops, doctors are starting to see a marked change. A year ago, hospitalized patients tended to be seniors or people with underlying health conditions. Now, the majority of people in hospitals are young adults who haven’t yet gotten their shots.
Despite the government’s efforts in trying to get people motivated to get the vaccine, there are some who remain reticent, whether that’s due to vaccine mistrust because they can’t get their time off work or due to an inconvenient location. Even though both shots of the vaccine are free, a small group of people believes that getting their shot will result in billed expenses later on.
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While it’s up to every person to get their shot, vaccinations have a community impact. When people get their shot, they make it easier to protect their family members, from the people they live with to kinds who haven’t yet been vaccinated.
Despite the conspiracy theories and concerns over vaccine side effects, the one thing that data and evidence proves is how effective these shots are against the virus.