The Department of Health today published the Vaccination Status of Deaths and Hospitalisations Report.
This report presents results for Northern Ireland on the vaccination status of patients who have been hospitalised from COVID-19 and of those who have died from COVID-19 between 30 August and 26 September 2021.
Key Findings – Hospitalisations:
• Three-quarters of adult inpatients aged under 50 are unvaccinated.
• More than a fifth (22%) of inpatients aged 50 and over are unvaccinated.
• Unvaccinated individuals aged 50 and over are 5 times as likely to be admitted to hospital as fully vaccinated individuals.
• For adults under 50, whilst the numbers admitted to hospital are lower, an unvaccinated individual is almost 18 times as likely to need hospitalisation.
Key Findings – Death:
• Unvaccinated individuals aged 50 and over are almost four times as likely to die.
Notes to editors:
1. The 'Vaccination Status of Deaths and Hospitalisations' report is a new report, and presents results for Northern Ireland on the vaccination status of patients who have been hospitalised from COVID-19 and of those who have died from COVID-19 for weeks 35 to 38 (30th August to 26 September 2021).
2. The results contained in this report should be interpreted in the context of vaccine coverage in the Northern Ireland population. The success of the vaccination programme has resulted in a very small percentage of unvaccinated individuals, particularly for the older age cohorts.
3. When there is a very high vaccine coverage in the population, even with a highly effective vaccine, it is to be expected that a large proportion of cases, hospitalisations and deaths would occur in vaccinated individuals. This is simply because a larger proportion of the population are vaccinated than unvaccinated and no vaccine is 100% effective and is especially true because vaccination has been prioritised in individuals who are more susceptible or more at risk of severe disease. Individuals in risk groups may also be more
at risk of hospitalisation or death due to non COVID-19 causes, and thus may be hospitalised or die with COVID-19 rather than because of COVID-19. Death and admissions rates per 100,000 should therefore be interpreted with caution.
4. Patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are identified using specific Method of Admission Codes. Transfers between hospitals are counted as one admission. Patients are allocated to an age cohort based on their age at date of admission.
5. The number of deaths is as reported to the Public Health Agency where the deceased has had a positive test for COVID-19 and dies within 28 days, whether or not COVID-19 was the cause of death. Patients are allocated to an age cohort based on their age at date of death.
6. The vaccination status of each patient is determined by matching the admission and deaths cases with the vaccination status of the Patient as recorded on the Northern Ireland Vaccine Management System (VMS). A person is deemed vaccinated, with a first or second dose, if the date of vaccination is greater than or equal to 14 days before date of admission, or for deaths, if the date of vaccination is greater than or equal to 14 days before date of specimen.
7. The number of vaccinated individuals in the population is taken from the VMS with age cohorts calculated at date of vaccination. The calculation of the number of unvaccinated individuals in the population requires an estimate of the total population in each age cohort. This was provided by NISRA based on their 2021 mid-year population projections.
8. All COVID-19 reports are available to view and download from the Departmental website
9. Additional Information
Further information on this report is available from:
Information & Analysis Directorate
Department of Health
Annexe 2, Castle Buildings
Stormont, BT4 3SQ
Email: statistics@health-ni.gov.uk
Web: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/dhssps-statistics-and-research/
10. For media enquiries please contact DoH Press Office by email: pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk
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