Dear Editor:
Re: Informed decision, Sept. 9.
I agree with Stella Mott’s letter, in which she says that access to information will help us balance the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines with their efficacy and thereby make an informed decision.
That’s why we need to look more carefully at the provincial COVID numbers that Mott cites from page 34 of the Aug. 26th Advertiser. She points out that of the 143 persons hospitalized for COVID-19 in Ontario, 27 were fully vaccinated. At first glance, it may appear that the vaccines aren’t very effective at preventing COVID, since one fully vaccinated person contracted COVID for every four unvaccinated individuals.
However, it’s important to remember that roughly three-quarters of Ontarians have been vaccinated and outnumber unvaccinated Ontarians by roughly three to one. So, to more accurately compare the rates at which vaccinated and unvaccinated Ontarians are contracting COVID, we need to divide the 27 fully vaccinated individuals above by three, which equals nine. When we do this, the numbers speak more clearly: for every breakthrough infection in a fully vaccinated person, roughly 13 unvaccinated people contracted COVID.
Using be same math, the rates of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated people who were admitted to a hospital ICU for COVID treatment are even more stark: for each vaccinated COVID patient, roughly 29 unvaccinated patients were admitted to an ICU. The COVID vaccines may not be 100% effective but as these numbers demonstrate, they are clearly very efficacious in lessening the chance of contracting COVID-19 and the need for subsequent hospitalization.
Athol Gow,
Elora