| WVU Medicine officials say 17 people died across their care system due to coronavirus-related complications over the weekend.
Alison Wilson, executive chair of the WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute, said âMany of these deaths were non-vaccinated, only one patient was a vaccinated patient. We certainly know that vaccinations help protect against severe disease and mortality.
Perhaps the most prevalent conspiracy theory circulated is that high numbers of vaccinated people get the virus and are dying.
The Delta variant began a trend that showed younger people becoming infected with the virus- that has continued as the average age of those infected has steadily decreased during this surge.
âThe substantial number of them being in their 40âs and the youngest being 21-years-old,â Wilson said. âMost of these patients, the younger patients, tend to have a longer course of the disease.â
The vaccine is proven to help lessen the severity of infection, reduce hospitalizations and drop the mortality rate.
âSome of our older patients are more frail and despite even intensive care they just donât have the reserves secondary to some of their other health issues to battle this off,â Wilson said.
Many of the unvaccinated who get the Delta variant have very severe outcomes that sometimes require extended care after release from the hospital. According to Wilson, the data shows getting the vaccine is the best way to avoid serious medical issues if infected.
âYour chance of having significant course or even long term complications, such as long term lung problems and breathing problems requiring oxygen or inhaler is certainly possible,â Wilson said.
The mounting toll on families, healthcare workers and continues. Workers try to help families work through grief and loss while continuing to provide care.
âItâs become a real tragic scene to see young families bringing teenage and younger children into the hospital to say goodbye to their mother or father,â Wilson said.
Statewide data from the DHHR says 746 people are hospitalized, 221 are in the ICU and 151 people are on ventilators. The numbers show well over 80% of people in the ICU or on ventilators are unvaccinated.
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