Hospital figures underline vaccine importance

80% of COVID-19 hospital in-patients who are under the age of 60 are totally unvaccinated, new figures reveal.

This is just one of the stark facts underlining the importance of getting both vaccine doses.

The information relates to hospital in-patients across Northern Ireland on 9 August. The figures also show:

* Of 267 in-patients with COVID-19 across NI, 114 were aged under 60. Of these patients aged less than 60, 91 were totally unvaccinated – having received neither first nor second dose.

* People who are totally unvaccinated account for 52% of all COVID-19 in-patients of all ages in our hospitals. That’s despite unvaccinated people now making up just 15% of the NI adult population (aged 18 and over).

* By contrast, almost 1.1 million people in NI have now received both vaccine doses. Of these, just 109 were in hospital with the virus on 9 August.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Lourda Geoghegan said: “The evidence in support of vaccine effectiveness is very clear. While the current prevalence of the virus in Northern Ireland remains a serious cause for concern, we would be in a much worse situation but for our vaccination programme.

“Vaccination protects us, it protects our families and protects others. It helps us reclaim normality.

“Of course, vaccination doesn’t totally eradicate all risk – no vaccine in history has ever been 100% effective 100% of the time. But it does make us significantly safer – it shifts the odds in our favour.

“Vaccination cuts our risk of getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 by around 95% and it also reduces our risk of catching or spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

NI’s vaccination programme was launched in December last year. Back in December 2020, for every 1000 cases of COVID-19, in the region of 80 people were admitted to hospital. Now it’s around 22 admissions per 1000 cases.

The information for COVID-19 hospital in-patients for August 9 shows:

Patients across all Age Groups

As of 9 August, we had 267 in-patients with COVID-19 in NI

• Of these, 109 patients (41%) had received both doses of vaccine;
• 18 patients (7%) had received one dose;
• and 140 patients (52%) were unvaccinated.

Patients aged 60 years and over

As of 9 August, we had 151 in-patients aged 60 and over with COVID-19 in NI

• Of these, 94 patients (62%) had received both doses of vaccine;
• 10 patients (7%) had received one dose;
• and 47 patients (31%) were unvaccinated.

Patients aged under 60 years old

As of 9 August, we had 114 in-patients aged under 60 with COVID-19 in NI

• Of these, 15 patients (13%) had received both doses of vaccine;
• 8 patients (7%) had received one dose;
• and 91 patients (80%) were unvaccinated.

Notes to editors: 

1. Please note the age-group of two unvaccinated in-patients was not available when the information was being collated.
2. For media enquiries please contact the DoH Press Office by email at pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk. 
3. Follow us on twitter @healthdpt.
4. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for Media Enquiries Only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The Duty Press Officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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