Spanish Health Ministry figures show that vaccination continues to offer strong protection against the worst effects of the coronavirus.
With the recent rise in Covid cases, many people are starting to question how much protection vaccinations actually give. The answer is provided by recent Spanish Health Ministry figures, which show that being double- jabbed will still drastically reduce your chances of a serious bout of Covid.
Once a week in its daily report, the Health Ministry includes figures for cases, hospitalizations and deaths for those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated, over all age groups. In the week from 29th November to 5th December, a total of 171, 656 new cases were fully vaccinated (V), while 43,114 were non-vaccinated (NV) .
Hospitalizations were 1,173 (V) to 1,254 (NV) in the 30-60 year-old age group; 3,184 (V) to 948 (NV) in the 60-79 year age group and 2,084(V) to 303 (NV) in the over-80s.
Deaths were 34 (V) to 28 (NV) in the 30-60s; 206 (V) to 70 (NV) in the 60-80s and 460 (V) to 98 (NV) in the over-80s.
At first glance it looks as though there is little difference between the two groups. However that would only be the case if equal numbers of Spanish residents were vaccinated and unvaccinated. In fact, almost 90% of people in Spain are fully vaccinated, and those totals approach 99% in the older age groups.
When population is taken into account, the figures show that if you are fully vaccinated, the chances of serious illness remain much lower than if you are not.
For example, unvaccinated people aged between 30 to 60 are seven times more likely to be hospitalized, 12 times more likely to end up in intensive care and seven times more likely to die than those who have been fully vaccinated
For those aged 60 to 80, the unvaccinated are 14 times more likely to be hospitalized; 23 times more likely to end up in intensive care and 16 times more likely to die.
In the over-80s, the unvvacinated are six times more likely to be hospitalized; eight times more likely to end up in intensive care and 10 times more likely to die.
Of course, most people will recover from the virus without serious effects, but the statistics offer powerful evidence for the protection offered by the vaccines. One commentator has stated that the unvaccinated “are playing Russian Roulette with Covid”
No figures are yet available for those who have received the third booster jab.
Source: Actualización no 524. Enfermedad por el coronavirus (COVID-19). 16.12.2021 (pgs 11-12). Ministerio de Sanidad de España.
For regular updates, pictures and videos of Lanzarote be sure to like and follow our Facebook page “Gazette Life Lanzarote”.
