CDC study: Unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19

A new study from the CDC looking at more than half a million people has come to the conclusion that COVID vaccines remain effective.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looking at more than half a million people have come to the conclusion that vaccines remain very effective in the fight against COVID-19.

The CDC says this new study spans more than 600,000 people from over 13 jurisdictions.  

Of the major conclusions, the CDC found:

• Those unvaccinated were 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people
• Unvaccinated populations were over 10 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated

The study also showed that unvaccinated people were four and a half times more likely to contract COVID-19 than the fully vaccinated.

"Exactly what we needed to show how important it is to get vaccinated to prevent you from winding up in the hospital and [dying], and your loved ones and your community," said Dr. John Swartzberg, of UC Berkeley's School of Public Health.

Swartzberg said that despite this data and the far-reaching number of those in the study, there continues to remain resistance to vaccinating.

"From an individual perspective, a doctor-patient or friend-friend discussion, it's really to try to understand what the thinking is behind the person who doesn't want to get vaccinated," Dr. Swartzberg said.

As for the CDC, Director Rochelle Walensky had this to say:

"The bottom line is this, we have the scientific tools we need to turn the corner on this pandemic, vaccination works and will protect us from the severe complications of COVID-19."