New data reveals COVID-19 impact on unvaccinated Washingtonians

Between February and June 2021, most people in Washington
who died of COVID-19 were unvaccinated

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

OLYMPIA — New reporting from the Washington State Department of Health reveals the devastating impact of COVID-19 on people who are unvaccinated, and underscores once again the need for people to get vaccinated now, if they haven’t already. 

The new data, released July 28, shows that between February and June 2021, at least 94% of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations in individuals 12 years or older from Washington state occurred in individuals who were not fully vaccinated. As of July 24, 2021, 61.4% of those eligible to receive vaccines have completed an approved vaccination series in our state. 

“We urge those who are eligible to get vaccinated. If they still have questions, we encourage them to speak to their healthcare provider,” said Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH. “We all have a role to protect our community, especially those who are most vulnerable.”

These data will be updated weekly in the new COVID-19 Cases, Deaths and Hospitalizations in Persons Who Are Not Fully Vaccinated report.

The report provides an overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths among people who are not fully vaccinated in Washington state. “Not fully vaccinated” is defined as those who have not received any dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or have received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine but are not fully protected. Full protection from vaccination occurs about two weeks after receiving the final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine because it typically takes that long for the body to build a high enough level of protection to fight the disease.

More details will be added to the report, including demographics and trends, over the next few weeks. The COVID-19 Cases, Deaths and Hospitalizations in Persons Who Are Not Fully Vaccinated report can be found in the Reports section on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard :: Washington State Department of Health.

The DOH website is your source for a healthy dose of information.