Powell’s death from COVID after vaccines is a rare case

The death of former US Secretary of State Colin Powell after contracting COVID-19 despite being vaccinated highlights what has been a rare phenomenon.

Powell died at age 84 from complications from COVID-19 despite completing his vaccination schedule, his family announced Monday. The decorated former general and chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Medical Center.

The available data show that this type of death is exceptionally rare. Of the more than 187 million people who completed their vaccination in the United States as of October 12, 7,178, or 0.004%, died from a post-vaccination case, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From the United States Of that group, 85% were over 65 years of age.

The data suggests that people who contract COVID-19 after getting vaccinated are also unlikely to end up hospitalized. As of October 12, 24,717 people had been hospitalized with a COVID case after receiving the vaccines, and of that group, 67% were 65 years or older.

The figures reinforce the results of clinical trials of vaccines against the COVID-19 and booster doses showing that vaccination substantially reduces the chances that a recipient will develop a picture of the virus severe enough to require hospitalization or die in the event of infection.

Older adults who contract infections after vaccination appear to be at higher risk for more serious consequences, said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy for the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“Colin Powell, 84, fits that profile ”, he pointed. “Older adults are at higher risk of the infection progressing to a more serious stage, and some of those cases, unfortunately, will progress to death.”

According to various media reports, Powell He suffered from medical conditions that could have made him more vulnerable to severe COVID-19. The representatives of the family Powell They could not be immediately reached for comment.

It is not clear if Powell he had received a booster dose, Michaud said.