Epidemiologist Explains Why Half The People In Intensive Care Units In NSW Are Vaccinated

An epidemiologist has spoken out about the rising intensive care unit numbers in New South Wales.

NSW boasts a fully vaccinated rate of 93 per cent, leaving less than 7 per cent of residents unvaccinated.

Despite this, the Omicron wave of coronavirus infections has seen the number of people requiring hospital treatment skyrocket, with thousands of patients needing urgent care.

According to Covid Live, there were 2,246 NSW residents in hospital as of today (January 13), with 175 people in ICU and 54 people on ventilators.

The number of people requiring intensive care has steadily been rising nearly every day, however new statistics reveal half of the people in ICU at the moment are vaccinated, according to News Corp.

While, that might cause some people to think getting two or three jabs of a vaccine doesn't stop you from being in ICU, an epidemiologist has shed light on the situation.

Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett told news.com.au: "People making up a very small proportion of the at-risk population, are making up a large proportion of those in ICU.

She explained how if the vaccine didn't prevent people from being hospitalised, then there would be a far higher number of people in ICU.

Prof Bennett reckons the roughly 50 per cent rate between vaccinated and non-vaccinated ICU patients might be a bit overstated.

"They are potentially overcounting vaccinated people in ICU with Covid because of these incidental infections," Prof Bennett said.

"Vaccination is absolutely working and you can see that even through this cloudy picture."

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant foreshadowed this would be the case as the Omicron wave started to take hold.

The state has witnessed tens of thousands of new cases every day and health authorities warned that people who are vaccinated will require hospital treatment.

The coronavirus vaccine doesn't stop you from getting the virus.

It works by getting your body prepared to fight Covid-19 in the event you catch it from someone and then your immune system will still have to work pretty hard against it. The vaccine has been shown to be better than natural immunity.

The vaccine is also instrumental in protecting you from getting Covid-19 a second or even third time.

America's Centers for Disease and Control said: "Getting a Covid-19 vaccine gives most people a high level of protection against Covid-19 and can provide added protection for people who already had Covid-19.

"One study showed that, for people who already had COVID-19, those who do not get vaccinated after their recovery are more than 2 times as likely to get COVID-19 again than those who get fully vaccinated after their recovery."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Australia