Some fully vaccinated people have died of COVID-19. What you need to know
Global News
Getting vaccinated greatly reduces your chances of dying from COVID-19, experts say, even if it doesn't work 100 per cent of the time.
Colin Powell, the first Black U.S. secretary of state, died Monday from complications from COVID-19, even though he was fully vaccinated.
But while he’s not alone – around 7,000 Americans and 450 Canadians who were fully vaccinated have died from COVID-19, according to federal data – doctors note it remains rare, and that getting the vaccine is still extremely important as it protects you and others from the disease.
“When we’re hearing about some individuals who are dying who happen to have been fully vaccinated, it starts creating doubt in the minds of others about whether the vaccine is even worth it at all,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Sinai Health and the University Health Network in Toronto.
“But we do know that those who are vaccinated have a far, far, far lower chance of potentially getting sick and even dying than those who are vaccinated,” he said.
The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that fully vaccinated individuals are 79 per cent less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and 62 per cent less likely to die as a result of their illness. Only five per cent of deaths were in fully vaccinated people, their data shows.
Breakthrough cases happen for a number of reasons, said Dr. Don Vinh, an infectious disease specialist and medical microbiologist at the McGill University Health Centre.
The Delta variant is more infectious than previous variants of COVID-19, he said, and that can account for some of it. Then, he said, immunity after vaccination might wane over time. Another factor is that some people’s immune systems just aren’t as strong.
“There are a group of people who have either conditions or treatments for their conditions that compromised their immune system and prevent them from being able to even adequately respond to the vaccine to begin with,” Vinh said.
The report was released by the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union and is based on feedback from crews and other staff involved in the wildfire fight.
Opponents of coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains have some sharp criticism for Alberta's UCP government after being told to resubmit their citizens petition.
Three children in Ontario have died from influenza A-related complications since the start of December, health officials said Monday.
The company that operates the Trans Mountain pipeline has paid a $196,000 fine for environmental lapses along its B.C. pipeline route in the aftermath of a massive Jan. 2024 storm.
Alberta's provincial government has announced the creation of three new all-season resort areas that it claims could generate thousands of jobs and billions in economic benefits.
Corb Lund says he's seeking the intervention as new coal mines could threaten land and water on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and affect the Prairies downstream.
Officers had recently captured four grizzly bears, but forensic results came back to confirm that none of the bears, an adult female and three young, were linked to the attack.
The research recommends occipital nerve blocks should be offered in emergency rooms to treat acute migraine attacks.
A federal vaccine advisory committee voted on Friday to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born.
Darlene Hensch, who once struggled with unexplained infertility, is now expecting quadruplets and preparing for a high-risk delivery and life-changing journey.
Negotiations that could have led to coverage for weight-loss drug Wegovy under Canadian public health plans are not moving forward.
They've been married for 55 years, but for most of that time, something has been missing from Janet and Robert Cockwill's life, until their grandson made a remarkable discovery.
NDP interim leader Don Davies said the government's response to a commissioned report on the program was 'shockingly dismissive,' and the health minister has not committed to act.