While COVID breakthrough deaths are increasing, doctors still urge vaccinations

[WCCO-TV News, November 15, 2021] In the fight against COVID, Minnesota has found itself up against the ropes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Minnesota has the highest infection rate in the country as the state nears 9,000 pandemic deaths.

The latest breakthrough case data from the Minnesota Department of Health comes from the week of Oct. 10. More vaccinated people died of COVID-19 that week than non-vaccinated people.

But the numbers also make it clear the risk of hospitalization and death is still much greater for Minnesotans who aren’t fully vaccinated.

Dr. Kevin Best, Allina Health’s vice president of medical operations for primary care, says: “If you’re playing the odds, being vaccinated is markedly better.”

As of last Tuesday, nearly 300 patients are hospitalized with COVID in the Allina system.

Three out of four of them are unvaccinated. The proportion is even higher in ICUs.