UPMC touts effectiveness of vaccinations, treatments

Statistics showing younger people, children at risk if unvaccinated

Statistics shared by UPMC in a news conference Wednesday emphasize the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, while showing that younger people are at risk if unvaccinated, including children.

Unvaccinated people are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who have received their shots, according to a panel of UPMC doctors.

Unvaccinated adults under 50 are being hospitalized in recent weeks at UPMC 19 times more often than their vaccinated peers, the doctors said.

And four times as many children are being hospitalized for COVID-19 in states with lagging vaccination levels, they said.

The "pervasive" delta variant -- more contagious, but just as deadly -- is spreading "among people previously considered less vulnerable," said Rachel Sackrowitz, chief medical officer for the UPMC ICU Service Center.

"We're seeing a truly alarming number of healthy people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s admitted to UPMC hospitals critically ill," Sackrowitz said.

The average age of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at UPMC is 10 years younger than during the pandemic's peak in December, Sackrowitz said.

The "overwhelming majority" of the hospitalized are not vaccinated, she said.

That means the problem, which has continued to stress health care workers, is "largely preventable," she said.

Vaccinated people have been getting infected rarely, she said.

"It's been estimated (only) one in several thousand (get infected)," said John Williams, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UPMC Children's Hospital.

It does happen, especially "in close unmasked social gatherings -- parties, bars, things like that," Williams said.

But when vaccinated people become infected, they tend to "be fighting a bad cold at home, instead of fighting for (their) life in the hospital," Sackrowitz said.

"It's my urgent plea" that everyone eligible for a shot get one -- if not for themselves, then for their parents, children, neighbors, co-workers and the health workers who would need to care for them if they get sick, Sackrowitz said.

Those who haven't gotten a shot and need to be convinced should "reach out" to discuss it, she said.

"Even if you don't want to be vaccinated that day, our experts will answer your questions respectfully," she said.

Due largely to relaxed mitigations and the ravages of delta, children are getting sick with COVID-19 and transmitting it to others, although it's not as bad in UPMC's territory as in other places in the country, Williams said.

Children under 12 aren't eligible to be vaccinated, but they can be protected and kept from spreading the disease if all eligible people get their shots and become diligent with masking and distancing, according to Williams.

UPMC supports universal masking -- of both vaccinated and unvaccinated people -- in schools, Williams said.

For those who test positive, the best course may be monoclonal antibody therapy, which has been highly effective, according to Derek Angus, chief innovation officer for UPMC.

Studies being conducted by UPMC show the treatment may have reduced the need for hospitalization for recipients by about 70 percent, Angus said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.