Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell died on Monday from complications after being infected with the coronavirus. His family announced that he had been fully vaccinated and even had time for a third dose. Powell was 84 years old and had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer.
Health officials worry that anti-vaccines will take advantage of Powell’s death to claim vaccines don’t work
If you can still die after being vaccinated against COVID-19, what is the point of getting vaccinated? What is the answer to this question?
CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at George Washington University School of Public Health, explains that we need to look at what data science gives us.
“We need to start with science and what research shows. COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective in preventing disease and especially serious diseases. The latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that they reduce the likelihood from a positive COVID-19 test six times and the probability of death 11 times, “explains Dr. Wen.
“This means that if you are vaccinated, you are six times less likely to get COVID-19 than someone who is not vaccinated. And you are 11 times less likely to die from COVID-19 than an unvaccinated person. That’s really great, “she said.
Dr. Wen adds that vaccines against COVID-19 do not have 100% protection. “No vaccine has 100% protection. It’s just that virtually no medical treatment is 100% effective. That doesn’t mean the vaccine doesn’t work or that you shouldn’t take it.”
The doctor explains that there is a group of people who are still at risk of COVID, even though they have been vaccinated.
“Based on what I’ve learned, General Powell falls into that category,” she said. “We know that people who are older and have basic medical conditions are more likely to suffer from a serious illness and die after breakthrough infections. Those who are at particular risk are people with immune deficiency. “Multiple myeloma would put General Powell in that category and, in addition to his older age, would increase the level of risk,” she said.
According to Dr. Wen, this is one of the reasons why a third dose of vaccine is recommended to boost immunity: “Back in August, federal health officials recommended people with moderate or severe immunocompromise who had been vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna, to receive a third dose of the vaccine. They warned that even with the extra dose, immunocompromised individuals should take extra precautions. This is because it is a category of people who are particularly susceptible to severe consequences. “
She insists that vaccines work best when everyone takes them.
“Think of the COVID-19 vaccine as a very good raincoat. It works very well to protect you in the rain. But if you’re in a thunderstorm and then a hurricane comes, there’s a much better chance you get wet. That doesn’t mean “That your raincoat is defective. That means you’re in bad weather and the raincoat alone can’t always protect you,” she explains. “If you’re surrounded by a lot of viruses, that increases your chances of getting infected. The problem isn’t the vaccine – it’s that there are too many viruses around you.”
Vaccination of as many people as possible reduces the overall infection rate and ultimately protects everyone. Doctors recommend that if you are in an area with many viruses or in crowded indoor areas, wear a mask, as it adds an extra level of protection.
A study of 13 countries over a six-month period showed that fully vaccinated individuals accounted for only 4% of all hospitalizations of patients with COVID-19. Unvaccinated people are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized for coronavirus than fully vaccinated adults, according to this CDC study.
Those who are hospitalized for breakthrough infections are most often older and have many basic medical conditions.
Asked what she would say to people who still do not believe in vaccines, Dr. Wen replied:
“I would ask them to think about other aspects of medicine. Let’s say someone has heart disease. There are drugs to treat heart disease, but they are not 100% effective – nothing is as effective. That someone ends up with an exacerbation of your illness and being in the hospital does not mean that the medication is not worth taking.Or let’s use an example of prevention.
Let’s say that someone who eats a healthy diet and exercises every day still develops high blood pressure and diabetes. This does not mean that diet and exercise are not good. It just means that you can take all the right steps to prevent the disease, but sometimes you can still get the disease. “
A modeling study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, found that COVID-19 vaccines prevented more than 139,000 deaths in the first five months in which they were available. As of May 9, about 570,000 COVID-19 deaths had occurred in the United States. Without vaccines, the number could reach 709,000 deaths.
