The U.S. has reported more COVID-19 hospitalizations than other high-income countries during the omicron surge, according to Our World in Data.
As of Jan. 16, the most recent data available, the U.S. was reporting 450 COVID-19 patients per 1 million Americans, compared to 369 patients per million in France; 346 per million in Spain; 338 per million in Italy; 282 per million in the U.K.; and 243 COVID-19 patients per million in Canada.
What could explain the higher hospitalization rates in the U.S.? According to the same data, vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the other countries included in the analysis. The U.S. is reporting the lowest proportion of its population fully vaccinated — 62.5 percent compared to more than 70 percent for all others — and also the lowest rate of booster shots given.