Breakthrough
OHA releases
latest monthly update on breakthrough cases -
6/4/21 The number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified in Oregon remains very small when compared to the more than 1.85 million people who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination series. Vaccine breakthrough cases are defined as instances in which an individual received a positive COVID-19 test result at least 14 days following the completion of any COVID-19 vaccine series. Of the 1,009 reported vaccine breakthrough cases, approximately 10% (n=101) were observed in individuals who reside in long-term care facilities or other congregate care settings. OHA provides updates on breakthrough
cases the first Thursday of each month. The
current report for June 2021 can be found
here. COVID-19
vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon - 4/27/21 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases are defined as instances in which an individual tests positive for COVID-19 at least 14 days after receiving the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine series. As of April 2, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) had identified 168 such cases in Oregon, including three deaths. Fortunately, the number of vaccine breakthrough cases identified represented a very small proportion of the more than 700,000 people who had been fully vaccinated statewide at that point in time. Only three deaths occurred in vaccine breakthrough cases and none of these were known to be associated with a COVID-19 variant of concern. How state and nationwide health authorities are responding State and local epidemiologists are continuing to track and investigate vaccine breakthrough cases and are working closely with the CDC to collect information that may provide insight into characteristics associated with COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough. These characteristics include things like age, underlying health conditions, the type of vaccine administered and whether a variant of concern caused the breakthrough infection. The CDC has created a national COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough REDCap database for state health department investigators to report information about breakthrough cases. The CDC is also leading multiple vaccine effectiveness studies to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are working as expected. Oregon will be participating in these vaccine effectiveness studies. Why vaccine breakthrough cases occur It’s important to note that vaccine breakthrough cases are expected to occur with any vaccine because no vaccine is 100% effective. The COVID-19 vaccines that have received Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have all proven to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 and that remains true despite the small number of vaccine breakthrough cases that have occurred. Clinical trials revealed that the Pfizer vaccine was 95% efficacious in preventing COVID-19, while the Moderna vaccine was 94.1% efficacious and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 66.3% efficacious. Conclusion COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases are rare — both in Oregon and across the country. Because no vaccine is 100% effective, vaccine breakthrough cases are anticipated to occur. Fortunately, the CDC is working alongside state and local epidemiologists to track vaccine breakthrough cases throughout the country and actively study vaccine breakthrough cases. Importantly, breakthrough cases can be prevented through basic public health interventions, such as masking, physical distancing and avoiding social gatherings. These protective measures remain essential as long as there is significant COVID-19 circulating in our communities. COVID-19 vaccines remain a safe and
effective way to prevent yourself from getting infected with
COVID-19 and returning to doing the things that you
love. What you need to
know about breakthrough cases - 12/9/21 A breakthrough case is when a vaccinated person gets infected with the virus they were vaccinated against. When more people get vaccinated, there are more people in the pool who can get a breakthrough infection. As vaccination rates go up, breakthrough infections may also go up. According to the Oregon Health Authority’s latest breakthrough case report, there have been 47,687 breakthrough cases in Oregon. This is a very small proportion (less than 2 percent) of the 2.7 million Oregonians who have been fully vaccinated. Do breakthrough cases mean the vaccines aren’t working? No. The vaccines continue to protect people against infection, hospitalization and death. Most COVID-19 cases are still occurring in unvaccinated people. For example, for the week of Nov. 28 through Dec. 4, there were approximately 3-1/2 times as many cases among unvaccinated people as there were among those who are fully vaccinated. People who do get a breakthrough infection are also much less likely to experience severe disease than unvaccinated people. Are some people more likely to get COVID-19 even after they’re vaccinated? Some people are at higher risk. OHA’s latest breakthrough case report shows that in Oregon, almost 80% of vaccine breakthrough deaths have occurred in people 70 years and older. This may be due to increased disease severity caused by the Delta variant and waning vaccine immunity over time in elderly populations, since they were among the first groups to get the vaccine. This is another good reason to get a booster dose. Living in an area with high COVID-19 transmission may be another reason. If you’re around more people who are infected, your risk is greater. This is why wearing a mask indoors is still a good idea for everyone – vaccinated or not. People who are immunocompromised may also be at greater risk of breakthrough infections. Medical experts recommend immunocompromised people get three primary doses of mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) and one booster dose, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson and one booster dose. Booster doses help people maintain strong immunity to disease longer The first vaccine series builds up the immune system to make the antibodies needed to fight the disease. Over time, the immune response weakens. A booster dose builds on the initial response and tends to result in higher antibody levels that help people maintain their immunity longer. Everyone age 18 and older is eligible to receive a booster dose. What can we do to protect against breakthrough infections? After nearly two years of pandemic life, we know how to stay safe:
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