Vaccinations linked to the reduction of senior COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in state

Vaccinations may have helped prevent roughly 3,400 new COVID-19 infections and 500 deaths among seniors in Washington state during the first five months of 2021, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The agency said in a release Tuesday that the study, conducted by researchers with HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), also found that nationally vaccinations were linked to a reduction of approximately 265,000 COVID-19 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations, and 39,000 deaths among Medicare beneficiaries between January and May 2021.

“This report reaffirms what we hear routinely from states: COVID-19 vaccines save lives, prevent hospitalizations, and reduce infection,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized getting vaccines quickly to pharmacies, nursing homes, doctors’ offices and even provided increased reimbursement rates for at-home COVID-19 vaccinations, so that seniors and others can easily get vaccinated.” 

The report reflects the devastating effect COVID-19 has had on vulnerable seniors and demonstrates that efforts to prioritize and vaccinate this group directly correlate to saving lives. More than 352,000 lives were lost during the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the availability of vaccines, nearly 80 percent of these deaths were among people 65 and older who were also Medicare eligible. For the period of January to May 2021, when vaccination grew from one percent to 47 percent among adults 18 to 64 and from one percent to 80 percent among seniors, the study found an 11-12 percent decrease in weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths among Medicare beneficiaries for every 10 percent increase in county vaccination rates.

All racial and ethnic groups and all 48 states analyzed experienced reduced numbers of COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations, and infections, linked to vaccination rate increases. Texas and Hawaii were excluded from this analysis due to data reporting limitations. American Indian and Alaska Native Medicare beneficiaries saw the largest vaccination-related percentage decrease in SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The study also found that vaccines were linked to a reduction of about 5,600 deaths among nursing home Medicare beneficiaries, a group that was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

The “report further underscores why it’s critically important to get all eligible individuals living in the United States vaccinated against COVID-19,” the HHS release states.

The study found that high vaccination rates for all adults were even more protective for Medicare beneficiaries than just a high elderly vaccination rate on its own. The COVID-19 vaccines protect communities by reducing infections, deaths, and hospitalizations.  

Becerra issued a directive, effective September 25, authorizing all CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program providers to make available and administer Pfizer-BioNTech booster doses to all people who are eligible. This includes seniors over age 65. The science has demonstrated this authorized booster can provide added protection to seniors. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also issued a reminder to Medicare beneficiaries that all COVID-19 vaccines, including the authorized booster, will be covered without cost-sharing.

To find the ASPE report, visit: https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/covid-19-vaccination-rates-outcomes.