Recent Research Indicates Breakthrough COVID Infections Are Extremely Uncommon

A recent investigation involving over a million vaccinated individuals has revealed that the likelihood of experiencing a breakthrough COVID infection is quite low. As COVID-19 cases surge across the nation, fueled by new variants and an ongoing contentious debate over the efficacy of masks and vaccines, it’s natural to feel anxious about contracting the virus, even if you are fully vaccinated.

Fortunately, a new study may help alleviate some of those concerns, demonstrating that vaccines continue to provide robust protection against severe illness and hospitalization. This research, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, was conducted in the U.K. from December 2020 to July 2021.

During this study period, which included both the alpha (original SARS-CoV-2 strain) and delta variant waves, researchers gathered data from more than 1 million participants. All had received two doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca vaccine. Participants reported positive COVID-19 tests either 14 days after their first dose (but before the second) or at least 7 days after their second dose, with no positive test prior to their first vaccination.

Key Findings

Ready to feel a bit more at ease? The findings revealed that 6,030 individuals tested positive for COVID after their first dose, while 2,370 tested positive following their second dose. While these numbers may seem substantial, they correspond to less than 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively.

Additionally, the study showed that when breakthrough infections did happen, most participants reported no symptoms at all — only six percent reported experiencing any symptoms. However, it’s important to note that asymptomatic individuals could unknowingly transmit the virus to those who are not fully vaccinated.

Moreover, the research indicated that being fully vaccinated reduced hospitalization risk by over two-thirds and lowered the chance of developing long-term symptoms by half.

Additional Studies

Further encouraging findings came from two additional studies released on the same day, which examined breakthrough infections among healthcare workers and showed similarly low risks for those fully vaccinated. One study published in JAMA Network Open assessed over 5,300 vaccinated healthcare professionals in Israel and identified just 27 infections (slightly over 0.5%). No deaths were recorded, and only one vaccinated patient was hospitalized, although this research was conducted before the Delta variant emerged in Israel.

The third study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found 94 symptomatic breakthrough infections among more than 16,000 healthcare workers from March to July, coinciding with the rise of the Delta variant in the U.S. It is worth noting that while breakthrough infections increased over time, the focus remains on the importance of vaccination for personal and public health.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones, and to contribute to ending the pandemic, is to get vaccinated as soon as possible and to receive a booster when eligible. There simply are no better options available at this time.

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Recent Research Indicates Breakthrough COVID Infections Are Extremely Uncommon

Key Findings

Additional Studies

Conclusion

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