The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 99.99% of those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the U.S. have not had a breakthrough case resulting in hospitalization or death.
A vaccine breakthrough infection is defined as the detection of the coronavirus in a person more than two weeks after they have completed all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
As of July 26, the CDC said more than 163 million people in U.S. had been fully vaccinated against the virus. By that same day, the agency received reports from 49 states and territories that showed 6,587 patients experienced a breakthrough infection, including 6,239 people who were hospitalized and 1,263 deaths.
If you divide the number of breakthrough hospitalizations by the number of vaccinated Americans, it shows that less than .004% of those who are fully vaccinated ended up in the hospital as a result of a breakthrough case.
And if you divide the number of breakthrough deaths by the number of vaccinated Americans, it shows that less than .001% of those who are fully vaccinated ended up dying because of a breakthrough case.
The CDC says these breakthrough cases are expected because no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness in vaccinated people.
“There will be a small percentage of fully vaccinated people who still get sick, are hospitalized, or die from COVID-19,” wrote the CDC on its website.
The CDC says the vaccines are working as expected and they’re strongly encouraging Americans to get the shot. Officials say the vaccines are effective against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 currently circulating in the country, including the delta variant.
“Infections happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the delta variant. When these infections occur among vaccinated people, they tend to be mild,” the CDC says on its website.
