States such as New York and Vermont are breaking COVID-19 infection rate records, despite their heavily vaccinated populations.
QUICK FACTS:
- The Daily Mail reports that New York broke its COVID record on Christmas Eve, with almost 50,000 new infections reported in the Empire State.
- More than 80 percent of New York state has been vaccinated, according to USA Facts, indicating that it is one of the most densely vaccinated states in the Union.
- Reports of new cases in New York shot up more than 80 percent over two weeks, per the New York Times Coronavirus Map and Case count update for Dec. 20.
- In October of this year, The New York Times underscored the idea that even the mildest cases of COVID-19 “kill vulnerable people,” pointing to Colin Powell’s COVID-related death as a demonstration, despite his fully vaccinated status.
- The same article stated that “the most effective way to reduce caseloads [of COVID-19] is to continue raising the country’s vaccination rates… .”
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW:
- According to Yahoo News, states with higher vaccination rates have seen surges of coronavirus cases, which has caused concern that the pandemic isn’t being curbed by the jabs.
- More than 86 percent of Hawaii has been vaccinated, according to USA Facts. Nevertheless, the state has continued to see a rise in COVID-19 cases, with more than 2,205 new cases reported on Sunday and the 14 day total coming to almost 14,000 new cases detected.
- A Scientific American article from December 16 explains that the risk of vaccinated COVID transmission is “not low.”
BACKGROUND:
- Other states with above-average vaccination rates include New Hampshire, which is 96 percent vaccinated, Vermont, 88 percent vaccinated, Rhode Island 87 percent, and Maine 85 percent.
- COVID-19 rates in all four of the above-mentioned highly vaccinated states have a sharp upward trajectory in their COVID-19 infection rates over time, and are in some of the most highly impacted areas of the nation, according to The Mayo Clinic.
- The nation of Israel has started its trials for a 4th vaccine dose, reports National Public Radio, despite being one of the most highly vaccinated populations on Earth. Reuters notes that COVID-19 infections are increasing in Israel.
