In Montana, unvaccinated patients make up 90% of hospitalizations

State officials announced Thursday that unvaccinated individuals accounted for nearly 90% of COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Montana over the past eight weeks.

As part of a new report entitled “Interim Analysis of COVID-19 Cases in Montana,” the Montana Department of Public Health and Welfare (DPHHS) reported 358 hospitalizations between June 5 and July 30. And 89% of them were unvaccinated individuals. Hospitalization included an age range from 1 to 97 years, with a median age of 64 years.

The report also shows that the average number of new daily COVID-19 hospitalizations is slowly starting to rise to the current average of 95 per day. This includes a 44% increase from the week ending July 23 to the week ending July 30.

“This data shows how effective the COVID-19 vaccine is in preventing serious illness, given how far it has been since the vaccine was first available,” said DPHHS Director. Adam Meyer said in a prepared statement. “This data also reminds us of how important vaccination is. It is now a vaccine-preventable disease, and the last thing we want to see is more cases and hospitalizations. COVID -19 Vaccines are the best tool you need to prevent serious illness and hospitalization. “

“It’s time to get the vaccine,” Meyer emphasized, as the fall and winter months are approaching and the number of cases is already growing rapidly. It is provided free of charge to all interested Montanas.

State data As of Thursday, the number of cases in Montana was 1,852, up from 1,180 on July 30. Flathead County continues to be a hotbed of cases, accounting for 453, or about 24%, of the state’s currently active cases. Yellowstone has the second highest number of cases at 249 and Mizura has the third highest number of cases at 192.

And as new and highly contagious strains of the virus, known as delta mutants, continue to dominate the country, state and local experts will anticipate cases and relevant hospitalizations will continue on an upward trajectory. .. State reports showed that delta variants accounted for 87% of the COVID-19 test samples observed in the last week of July.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, the Delta variant is so easy to infect that it can lead to breakthrough infections.

Health officials emphasize that breakthrough infections do not mean that the vaccine does not work. The CDC said on its website, “We anticipate a breakthrough case for vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccine is an effective and important tool for controlling pandemics, but vaccinated people. There is no 100% effective vaccine to prevent the disease. There is a small percentage of fully vaccinated people who are still sick, hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19. . “

Kaiser The Family Foundation recently analyzed data from state health departments across the country and found that out of 10 COVID-19 cases, more than 9 occurred among unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated people. I found that there is. The Foundation paid particular attention to states that consistently reported groundbreaking data, including Montana.

When Kaiser released the report about a week ago, only 3.2% of fully vaccinated individuals in Montana had COVID-19 cases, 2.3% of virus-related hospitalizations, and 3.1% of virus-related deaths. It did not occur.

Foundation findings reiterate the important role that vaccines play in the ongoing battle with COVID-19.

“Information on breakthrough events is still limited and incomplete, but this analysis of available state-level data is a breakthrough for COVID-19 among fully vaccinated people. Cases, especially hospitalizations and deaths, are rare events in the United States. In addition, this data shows that the majority of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths reported in the United States were vaccinated. It shows that it is among those who have not been or have been completely vaccinated, “says the Kaiser Family Foundation. July 30 Report.. “These findings reflect a wealth of data showing the efficacy of the currently licensed COVID-19 vaccine.”

More vaccination Population percentage is essential to moving forward.

The United States recently achieved President Joe Biden’s vaccination target of 70%. This includes those who are waiting for a second vaccination. However, as caseloads increase and new potential variants emerge, authorities are calling for an increase in that proportion.

In Montana, more than 445,438 people are fully immunized, accounting for about 48% of the vaccine-eligible population. However, state health officials said the number of individuals receiving the first dose of the vaccine has steadily increased over the past few weeks, after declining in the first half of June and July.

For example, from the week of July 23 to the week of July 30, the number of Montanans who received the first dose increased by 18%.

Higher vaccination rates combined with safety measures such as wearing masks and social distance are considered to be one of the best defenses in the country against delta mutants and other potential strains.

Last week, the CDC re-recommended that everyone, including those who were vaccinated, consider wearing a mask, especially in a crowded indoor environment. According to a recent study, infected vaccinated people can still be infected with the delta mutant.

Reporter Kianna Gardner can contact kgardner @ dailyinterlake.com.