Unvaccinated Americans 50 years and up are significantly more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than Americans of the same age group who are fully vaccinated and boosted, according to CDC data published Jan. 20.
Three things to know:
1. In December, unvaccinated Americans ages 50-64 were 44 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than their vaccinated and boosted peers. For Americans older than 65, unvaccinated individuals had a 49-times greater risk of hospitalization than those with a booster. The agency did not release similar data for adults younger than 50.
2. The new CDC statistics — some of the first real-world data showing the effects of boosters in the U.S — largely support findings from other countries showing boosters also are effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization, especially in older adults.
3. Excluding booster doses, unvaccinated people 50 and older were 17 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who had completed the initial immunization series. For Americans 18-49 years, risk of hospitalization was 12 times higher for unvaccinated individuals. Among adolescents ages 12-17, unvaccinated Americans were nine times more likely to be hospitalized than those fully vaccinated.