As per data from Los Angeles County, unvaccinated adults had 23-fold higher likelihood of being hospitalized during the Omicron wave. Additionally, the unvaccinated were around four times as likely to be infected as vaccinated adults who had also got a booster shot. 

The researchers assessed data from the COVID surveillance and the California Immunization Registry 2 between November 7, 2021 and January 8, 2022 according to vaccination status and the dominant variant. December 11, 2021 was the last week when Delta predominated in the area.

A total of 422,966 COVID-19 infections were recorded during this period, with 53% cases among vaccinated/non-boosted adults, 34% among unvaccinated adults, and 13% among fully vaccinated/boosted adults.

In comparison with fully vaccinated adults who had not received a booster dose, the unvaccinated were over five times more likely to require hospital admission, and had double the odds of getting infected during this time, reported researchers. Unvaccinated individuals had significantly higher likelihood of needing ICU admission, intubation for mechanical ventilation, or dying, in comparison with vaccinated adults with or without a booster shot. The report is published in an early edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report… (Medpage Today)