COVID-19 cases and deaths are down but rate of infection is the same as it was in December for unvaccinated
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- More than 40% of the entire US population are vaccinated against the coronavirus.
- Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are on the decline across the country.
- The unvaccinated still have high rates of deaths and hospitalizations, The Washington Post found.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Coronavirus cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have been on the decline as more and more Americans get vaccinated against the virus, but rates have not shifted significantly for those unvaccinated, The Washington Post reported.
More than 62% of US adults have had at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, with over 51% being completely vaccinated. Out of the entire US population, 40.5% of all people are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In an analysis, the Post found that if vaccinated people are removed from assessing the data, the case rate for unvaccinated Americans is similar to the case rate for all residents on December 31.
In the past week, the US has averaged a little over 20,000 cases per day, the CDC reported.
The Post found that the rate among those unvaccinated is 73% higher than figures being publicized. Their analysis found that in states with high unvaccinated populations, the pandemic is ongoing at the same pace it was during the last surge.
Taking into account the adjustments for vaccinated people, cases are still going down but the national death rate would actually be the same as it was two months ago, while hospitalizations are as high as they were three months ago.
Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University told the Post that unvaccinated people are mistakenly thinking it's safe for them to not wear masks because the numbers are low.
"It looks like fewer numbers, looks like it's getting better, but it's not necessarily better for those who aren't vaccinated," Goldman said.
The Post analysis found that the risk of death and hospitalization is significantly more prominent for those who are unvaccinated. The unvaccinated in many states like Florida, and Maryland are at least 50% more likely to require hospitalization and in some states, they are twice as likely to require hospitalizations.
The death rate is also higher for the unvaccinated. In states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, the adjusted rate is 50% higher than the national adjusted rate.
Demand for vaccines has been on the decline across the US, but President Joe Biden has said he hopes that 70% of US adults will be fully vaccinated against the disease by July and many states are offering incentives to get those still hesitant vaccinated.
Healthcare workers across the country are also coming up with unique ways to reach those who have yet to get the jab, including a Portland, Oregon doctor who set up a site at local bars.
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