A Significant Number of COVID-19 Victims Had Never Been Vaccinated, and 90% Were Aged 65 or Older

Seniors can still protect against the disease by getting a jab of the latest COVID-19 vaccine

Photo by Afif Ramdhasuma on Unsplash

During this past summer, the United States faced a surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations. A new study, published in October, based on data from the COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET), highlighted the following key findings:

• In the period from January to August 2023, older adults (aged 65 and above) represented nearly 63% of COVID-related hospitalizations.
• Only 23.5% of older adults hospitalized had up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations.
• The admission rates for older adults surged, peaking during the week ending on August 26, reaching a rate 9 times higher than that of adults aged 18–64.
• The 65 and older age group comprised 61% of ICU admissions and nearly 90% of COVID-19-related deaths.
• Hospital admissions decreased for most other age groups during the same period.
• Hospitalized individuals were generally suffering from two or more underlying health conditions, with a fourfold greater risk of dying.