94% of Alabama COVID-19 deaths among unvaccinated

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Alabama Department of Public Health has released new data to show just how effective vaccinations are against COVID-19.

ADPH reports that between April 1 and Aug. 18, a total of 89.8% of the state’s coronavirus cases were among those who were unvaccinated against the disease. In the same time period, ADPH reports that 94.1% of all COVID-19 deaths were among those who were not vaccinated.

Data as of August 18, 2021 shows that 89.8% of Alabama's COVID-19 cases and 94.1% of Alabama's COVID-19 deaths were in...
Posted by Alabama Public Health on Monday, August 23, 2021

“Current data shows that fully vaccinated persons who get COVID-19 are much less likely to get severely ill, go to the hospital, or die from COVID-19,” the health department said. “The COVID-19 vaccines are working.”

The information comes on the day the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, gave full approval to Pfizer for its COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and older. Those 12-15 are still able to get the vaccine through the FDA’s emergency use authorization.

ADPH said with the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, “those people who have delayed scheduling their COVID-19 vaccinations should have increased confidence to act.”

Two other vaccines, one by Moderna and another by Johnson & Johnson, are also being administered through emergency use authorization while the manufacturers work through the full approval process.

Alabama’s vaccination rate remains among the lowest in the nation, but has started to trend upward in recent weeks. As of Friday, the state had climbed from last in the nation to a tie for 44th, with state health officials reporting the average has climbed to between 14,000 and 16,000 shots per day.