Data shows the rate of infection much higher amongst individuals who are not fully vaccinated

FROM THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has launched a new data webpage, COVID-19 Illness After Vaccination, which includes a visualization showing the rate of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths per 100,000 among individuals who are fully vaccinated versus individuals who are not fully vaccinated. These data are also presented by month, beginning in February 2021. By displaying the rates side-by-side, users can clearly see the difference in rates between these two groups. The overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites who are infected with COVID-19 are not fully vaccinated.

“The increase in cases we are seeing in Wisconsin right now is being largely driven by the Delta variant, and the overwhelming majority of people who are contracting COVID have not been fully vaccinated. With the original strain of COVID-19, an infected person was likely to infect two other people, who were then likely to infect two additional people for a total of 6 cases from one infection. With the Delta variant, an infected person is likely to infect about five people, who are then likely to infect 25 people for a total of 30 cases from one infection,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “The COVID-19 vaccines are still doing their job by stopping the spread of many new infections, and by preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death.”