A R T I C L E I N F O
Article History:
Received 1 November 2021
Accepted 3 November 2021
Available online 20 November 2021
High COVID-19 vaccination rates were expected to reduce trans-
mission of SARS-CoV-2 in populations by reducing the number of
possible sources for transmission and thereby to reduce the burden
of COVID-19 disease. Recent data, however, indicate that the epide-
miological relevance of COVID-19 vaccinated individuals is increas-
ing. In the UK it was described that secondary attack rates among
household contacts exposed to fully vaccinated index cases was simi-
lar to household contacts exposed to unvaccinated index cases (25% for vaccinated vs 23% for unvaccinated). 12 of 31 infections in fully
vaccinated household contacts (39%) arose from fully vaccinated epi-
demiologically linked index cases. Peak viral load did not differ by
vaccination status or variant type [1]. In Germany, the rate of symp-
tomatic COVID-19 cases among the fully vaccinated (“breakthrough
infections”) is reported weekly since 21. July 2021 and was 16.9% at
that time among patients of 60 years and older [2]. This proportion is
increasing week by week and was 58.9% on 27. October 2021
(Figure 1) providing clear evidence of the increasing relevance of the
fully vaccinated as a possible source of transmission. A similar situa-
tion was described for the UK. Between week 39 and 42, a total of
100.160 COVID-19 cases were reported among citizens of 60 years or
older. 89.821 occurred among the fully vaccinated (89.7%), 3.395
among the unvaccinated (3.4%) [3]. One week before, the COVID-19
case rate per 100.000 was higher among the subgroup of the vacci-
nated compared to the subgroup of the unvaccinated in all agegroups of 30 years or more. In Israel a nosocomial outbreak was
reported involving 16 healthcare workers, 23 exposed patients and
two family members. The source was a fully vaccinated COVID-19
patient. The vaccination rate was 96.2% among all exposed individu-
als (151 healthcare workers and 97 patients). Fourteen fully vacci-
nated patients became severely ill or died, the two unvaccinated
patients developed mild disease [4]. The US Centres for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention (CDC) identifies four of the top five counties with
the highest percentage of fully vaccinated population (99.984.3%)
as “high”transmission counties [5]. Many decisionmakers assume
that the vaccinated can be excluded as a source of transmission. It
appears to be grossly negligent to ignore the vaccinated population
as a possible and relevant source of transmission when deciding
about public health control measures.
Author Contribution statement
GK as the sole author of this Letter, contributed to all aspects of
the text.
Declaration of Competing Interests statement
The author has no competing interests to declare.
References
[1] Singanayagam A, Hakki S, Dunning J, et al. Community transmission and viral load
kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant in vaccinated and unvacci-
nated individuals in the UK: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study. Lancet Infect
Dis 2021. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00648-4.
[2] Robert Koch-Institut. W€ochentlicher Lagebericht des RKI zur Coronavirus-Krank-
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https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Situationsber-
ichte/Wochenbericht/Wochenbericht_2021-07-22.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
(accessed 28. September 2021).
[3] UK Health Security Agency. COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report. Week 4328.
Oktober 2021. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/sys-
tem/uploads/attachment_data/file/1029606/Vaccine-surveillance-report-week-
43.pdf (accessed 1. November 2021).
[4] Shitrit P, Zuckerman NS, Mor O, Gottesman BS, Chowers M. Nosocomial outbreak
caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in a highly vaccinated population, Israel,
July 2021. Euro Surveill 2021;26(39):2100822. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.
ES.2021.26.39.2100822.
[5] Subramanian SV, Kumar A. Increases in COVID-19 are unrelated to levels of vacci-
nation across 68 countries and 2947 counties in the United States. Eur J Epidemiol
2021. doi: 10.1007/s10654-021-00808-7.
see & read more on
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(21)00258-1/fulltext
If the link don't work try this one
I. "The epidemiological relevance of the COVID-19-vaccinated population is increasing"
Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(21)00258-1/fulltext
It's clear that the detrimental effect of mass vaccination will soon become obvious to an extent where even the most stubborn megalomaniac will have to acknowledge that he/she doesn't know where to hide for shame and blame.
One reader send us this link, thanks for doing this.
When you have some of this "stuff", please send in to redactie@xea.nl
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