Unvaccinated people are significantly more likely to test positive for Covid-19 and to die from the disease than those who have been vaccinated, according to recent data released by CDC.

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Covid-19 risk by age, vaccine type

CDC analyzed data from 16 public health departments, which includes information on roughly 30% of the U.S. population and covers the period from April through the end of August.

Overall, CDC found that unvaccinated people are six times as likely to develop Covid-19 and 11 times as likely to die of the disease than those who are vaccinated.

Age also remains a significant risk factor for severe cases of Covid-19. CDC found that vaccinated people who are ages 80 or higher are still at a higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than vaccinated or unvaccinated people under the age of 50.

The data confirmed that all three vaccines that are authorized in the United States—manufactured by Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Moderna, and Pfizer-BioNTech—dramatically reduced both infections and deaths from Covid-19. The mRNA-based vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech appeared to provide the strongest protection.

In a tweet, Celine Gounder, an infectious diseases expert at New York University, said CDC's data shows a "compelling" reason for allowing recipients of the J&J vaccine to receive an additional dose. (Carbajal, Becker's Hospital Review, 10/18; Owens, Axios, 10/19; Owens, Axios, 10/18; Sullivan, The Hill, 10/15)