Claire Dawson
While the COVID-19 vaccine helps protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death, there have been reports of fully vaccinated individuals still ending up in the hospital. Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, explains that this can be attributed to various factors, including the extremes of age, elderly patients with chronic medical conditions, and the fact that vaccine effectiveness wanes over time. A study of 50,000 patients across 100 Veterans Affairs hospitals in the United States found that about 57% of fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients hospitalized had mild or asymptomatic infections. While vaccines remain crucial in protecting against COVID-19, ongoing research is needed to understand the evolving dynamics of the virus and vaccine effectiveness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for hospitalization | COVID-19 |
| Percentage of fully vaccinated hospitalized patients with mild or asymptomatic infections | 57% |
| Percentage of fully vaccinated hospitalized patients | 60% |
| Age group of fully vaccinated hospitalized patients | Elderly |
| Other characteristics of fully vaccinated hospitalized patients | Chronic medical conditions |
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What You'll Learn
Dr Todd Ellerin, Chief of Infectious Diseases at South Shore Health, explains why
Dr Todd Ellerin, Chief of Infectious Diseases and Vice Chair of Medicine at South Shore Health, has 27 years of experience in the medical field. He specializes in infectious disease medicine and frequently treats sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Dr Ellerin is affiliated with South Shore Hospital and provides telehealth services.
Dr Ellerin has offered his expert opinion on various topics, including how to stay healthy during Thanksgiving. He has discussed the status of COVID-19, flu, and RSV levels and provided insights into the likelihood of a spike in cases after Thanksgiving.
As an experienced medical professional, Dr Ellerin is dedicated to ongoing training and has completed intensive exams to achieve his board certification in infectious diseases. He is committed to keeping himself and the public informed and educated about important health matters.
Dr Ellerin's contributions to the field of infectious diseases and his efforts to share his knowledge with the community demonstrate his dedication to improving public health and patient care.
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Hospitalisations increase as more people are vaccinated
While the COVID-19 vaccine helps protect against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death, an increasing number of vaccinated people are ending up in the hospital. Dr Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, notes that in Massachusetts, more than half of COVID-19 patients in hospitals were fully vaccinated. Similarly, Dr Anthony Fauci has observed that more and more vaccinated people are being hospitalised in the US and other countries.
There are several reasons for this phenomenon. Firstly, it is a matter of simple statistics. As the number of vaccinated people increases, the likelihood of vaccinated individuals contracting COVID-19 also goes up, resulting in more hospitalisations. This is particularly true for the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions.
Secondly, vaccine effectiveness decreases over time. A recent study in the New England Journal found that vaccine effectiveness wanes, and protection against infection drops, necessitating booster shots to maintain immunity. Dr Fauci noted that hospitalisations are increasing among those who were vaccinated but did not receive a booster dose.
Furthermore, the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, such as NB.1.8.1, may also contribute to the rise in hospitalisations among the vaccinated population. The new variant has been detected globally, including in multiple US states, and could potentially impact the effectiveness of existing vaccines.
It is important to note that being fully vaccinated does not guarantee complete protection from COVID-19. However, studies suggest that hospitalised vaccinated individuals tend to have milder infections. According to a study of 50,000 patients across 100 Veterans Affairs hospitals in the US, about 57% of vaccinated hospitalised patients had mild or asymptomatic infections. While vaccinations play a crucial role in preventing severe illness and hospitalisation, other factors, such as new variants and waning immunity, can influence the effectiveness of vaccines over time.
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Immunity wanes over time
Vaccines are designed to protect us from severe illness, hospitalisation, and death. However, immunity wanes over time, and this is true for COVID-19 vaccines as well. As time passes, the protection offered by the COVID-19 vaccines decreases, and the risk of breakthrough infections increases. This is why vaccine boosters are often recommended to maintain high levels of protection.
The protection offered by the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, for example, was shown to wane six to eight months after the second dose. As a result, some fully vaccinated and boosted individuals are still ending up in the hospital with COVID-19. The percentage of vaccinated individuals hospitalised varies depending on the region and the percentage of the population that is vaccinated. For instance, in Massachusetts, where over 80% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, almost 60% of COVID-19 hospitalised patients were fully vaccinated.
The waning immunity of vaccines is also influenced by the evolution of the virus into new variants. As new variants emerge, the effectiveness of existing vaccines may decrease. This is why vaccine formulas are sometimes updated to provide better protection against the currently circulating strains.
It is important to note that even with waning immunity, vaccines still provide protection against severe disease and death. However, to maintain high levels of protection, it is recommended to stay up to date with the latest vaccine recommendations, especially for those who are at high risk of severe disease or have weakened immune systems.
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The elderly and those with chronic conditions are at risk
While the COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from severe illness, hospitalisation, and death, some fully vaccinated and boosted individuals have still ended up in the hospital with COVID-19. Dr Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, explains that this is expected, especially when looking at the extremes of age and those with chronic medical conditions.
The elderly are at a heightened risk of dying from COVID-19, and older adults are recommended to receive the enhanced vaccines, which have been proven to reduce the risk of hospitalisation from the flu by 11 to 18%. The CDC recommends the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for most adults ages 18 and older, especially those 65 and older, those at high risk for severe COVID-19, and those who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Additionally, those with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of experiencing severe outcomes from COVID-19, including hospitalisation, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), intubation, mechanical ventilation, or death. This includes individuals with suppressed immune systems, which could be due to disease, medications, or past medical history. It is important to note that the risk of severe illness and hospitalisation is not limited to the elderly but can affect individuals of all ages.
Furthermore, babies younger than six months old, who are ineligible for vaccination due to their immature immune systems, have the highest rates of COVID-19 hospitalisation after adults aged 75 and older. Evidence also suggests that newborns receive protective immunity through antibodies from vaccinated mothers during pregnancy, which can be found in breast milk.
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Vaccinated patients tend to have mild or asymptomatic infections
Vaccination is highly effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalisation due to COVID-19. However, it is still possible for fully vaccinated individuals to contract the virus and experience breakthrough infections. In such cases, vaccinated patients tend to exhibit milder symptoms or remain asymptomatic.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affirmed that breakthrough infections among vaccinated individuals are rare and typically result in no or low-symptom cases. She emphasised that these infections tend to be mild and asymptomatic, with lower virus amounts, reducing the likelihood of transmission to others.
The introduction of vaccines has significantly correlated with a greater proportion of COVID-19 hospitalised patients presenting with mild or asymptomatic infections. A study examining data from March 2020 to early January 2021, before widespread vaccination, found that 36% of patients had mild or asymptomatic disease. However, from mid-January to the end of June 2021, after vaccination campaigns, this proportion increased to 48%. This suggests that the availability of vaccines has played a crucial role in mitigating the severity of COVID-19 infections.
It is important to note that hospital admissions for COVID-19 encompass a range of severity levels. Some patients require intensive care and extensive medical intervention, while others are admitted for further observation due to mild symptoms or underlying health conditions. Additionally, a portion of patients may be hospitalised for reasons unrelated to COVID-19 but are incidentally discovered to be infected upon admission. Therefore, it is essential to consider the severity of illness alongside hospitalisation rates to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of vaccinations on COVID-19 outcomes.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several reasons why fully vaccinated people are ending up in the hospital. Firstly, post-vaccination immunity wanes over time. Secondly, the likelihood of vaccinated people developing a breakthrough infection increases as the number of vaccinated people grows. Additionally, the risk factors for hospitalisation tend to be at the extremes of age or the presence of chronic medical conditions.
According to a study, about 57% of fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients who were hospitalised had mild or asymptomatic infections.
Vaccination during pregnancy is recommended as it provides protective immunity to newborns through antibodies that cross the placenta and are found in breast milk.
As of April 26, only 23% of adults and 13% of children in the U.S. had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Yes, while the vaccines provide protection, it is still possible for vaccinated individuals to get sick and experience severe COVID-19 or death. Therefore, staying up to date with vaccinations and following public health guidelines is important.
