Over two-thirds of Victorians who died this year from Covid-19 had gotten at least one vaccine, but the virus nevertheless killed them.
According to Victorian government statistics, 68 percent of persons who died from Covid in 2022 had been vaccinated.
Unvaccinated people made up less than a third of those who died.
Medics, on the other hand, caution that the numbers aren’t quite what they seem.
Only 4% of Victorians aged 16 and over are unvaccinated, which implies the 32 percent who die unvaccinated is eight times greater than it should be.
Between January 1 and May 25 this year, 2022 so far 1,742 Victorians have died from Covid, the Herald Sun reported.
Of those, 558 were unvaccinated (or had an unknown status), about 32 per cent of the total Covid deaths in 2022.
The doubled vaxxed accounted for 41 per cent of deaths (720 people), while 24 per cent has three shots. Three per cent (53 deaths) had just one jab.
A Department of Health spokesman argued that the numbers showed per capita vaccinations save lives because 5.1 million Victorians over 16 years of age were double-dosed, compared to several hundreds of thousands remaining unvaccinated.
Out of the 1,742 deaths, 349 were genomically sequenced to reveal the strain that killed the patients.
Omicron was by far the deadliest strain, at least in raw numbers.
The Omicron BA.1 sub-variant caused 201 deaths, while Omicron BA.2 strain was responsible for 110.
‘Our heartfelt sympathies go out to all the families and friends who have lost loved ones to Covid over the course of the pandemic,’ said a Department of Health spokesman.
He said receiving the recommended vaccination would ‘significantly reduce’ the risks of dying or getting severe illness from Covid.
‘If you are due for your next Covid vaccine dose, you should get it as soon as possible.’
A third dose gave up to 97 per cent better protection against hospitalisation and death for people over 50 compared two or fewer doses, he claimed UK research showed.
Meanwhile, pathologists are sounding the alarm over the low uptake of coronavirus vaccine boosters as the national immunisation group suggests a fourth dose for some Australians.
The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia says third doses are particularly low in Queensland and NSW even as COVID-19 cases rise.
‘With winter commencing, it is important for everyone that they are fully up to date with all relevant vaccinations,’ RCPA fellow Professor William Rawlinson said.
