Hospitals across the country are reporting overwhelming numbers of COVID-19 patients.
According to Cleveland Clinic, the vast majority of COVID-19 patients in the hospital are unvaccinated but what about the rest?
Dr. Amy Teleron treats people hospitalized for COVID-19 and said the ‘rest’ are the “vaccinated vulnerable.”
“The vaccinated vulnerable are those patients that have received the vaccine but they have underlying conditions that make them more vulnerable to still getting an infection that may still be severe,” she explained.
The “vaccinated vulnerable” can include older people, the immunocompromised like those with cancer, people who have had transplants, those with rheumatological conditions, and also anyone taking immunosuppressants or long-term steroids.
It also includes people with lung disease, like COPD and asthma, and heart disease -- just to name a few.
Some people with these chronic conditions may not have as robust of an immune response to vaccines, but the COVID-19 vaccine does help protect them against severe disease and death.
While breakthrough infections -- infections in people who are vaccinated -- do sometimes occur, vaccinated people are overall less likely to be infected.
And if someone does experience a breakthrough infection, their illness is typically milder, preventing hospitalization or ICU care.
It’s important to remember, the “vaccinated vulnerable” are at increased risk of infection from people who are unvaccinated.
“I encourage everyone to claim your vaccine? or if you have gotten your vaccine, get your booster,” stressed Teleron. “We’re lucky that we have vaccines available to us, so please do it to protect yourself. But if you’re not convinced by that, please do it to protect those that you love -- your parents, your grandparents, your children, those that have chronic medical conditions and those that cannot get vaccinated.”
People who are vaccinated have better protection against COVID-19, as do their family, friends, colleagues and community -- because vaccination reduces the spread of the virus.