Only 0.33% of fully vaccinated New Yorkers tested positive for COVID, NYC health officials say
Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
Between January and August, 0.33 percent of fully vaccinated New Yorkers tested positive for the coronavirus, according to new data published on Wednesday. New York City health officials say the data prove breakthrough cases of Covid-19 are rare, with unvaccinated people 13 times more likely to be hospitalized due to the virus compared to fully vaccinated people. “The vaccines continue to prevent the outcomes we most want to avoid: hospitalizations and death,” Dr. Dave Chokshi, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner, said.
According to the Health Department, between January 17 and August 7, 96.1 percent of Covid cases, 96.9 percent of Covid hospitalizations, and 97.3 percent of Covid deaths in New York City have been in people who are not vaccinated.
Looking at the most recent data as of the week of August 7, 0.33 percent of fully vaccinated New Yorkers have been diagnosed with the virus, 0.02 percent have been hospitalized, and 0.003 percent have died from Covid.
While infections in fully vaccinated people remain uncommon, the number of breakthrough cases has increased in recent weeks because of the highly contagious Delta variant and overall higher levels of community transmission, Chokshi said. According to the data, the Covid case rate for unvaccinated people has been 2.3 to 3.7 times the rate for those fully vaccinated.
And the vaccines continue to be highly effective against serious illness caused by Covid and death.
“Beyond the facts and figures, here’s the commonsense bottom line: vaccines keep you alive and out of the hospital,” Chokshi said during a press briefing on Wednesday. “Now is the time to keep going and extend the protection of vaccination as far as we possibly can.”
A little over 75 percent of all adults in New York City have received at least one dose of the vaccine. As of Wednesday, the city has administered 10,528,908 total doses of the vaccine.
More New Yorkers are signing up for their first shot following new vaccine mandates, including mandatory vaccinations or tests for all city employees and vaccine-only indoor activities, as well as incentives, including a $100 pre-paid debit card when you receive the first dose at a city-run site.
Book a vaccine appointment here or call 877-VAX4NYC.
Editor’s Note: An earlier title of this story incorrectly stated that “Fully vaccinated New Yorkers make up 0.33% of new Covid cases.”
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