15 Fully Vaccinated Rhode Islanders Have Died of COVID and Another 20 Died With Virus

Thursday, September 16, 2021

A GoLocal review of some of the latest data from the Rhode Island Department of Health unveils that being fully vaccinated is incredibly important to lessen the chance of death from COVID, but 15 fully vaccinated Rhode Islanders have died of the virus.

In addition, another 20 fully vaccinated Rhode Islanders have died with COVID.

"We are able to report data on vaccination breakthrough fatalities cumulatively. We have had 35 people who were fully vaccinated and then later contracted COVID-19 and passed away. However, COVID-19 was only considered the leading cause of death in 15 of those cases. This is of the more than 630,000 Rhode Islanders fully vaccinated," said Joseph Wendelken, public information officer at the Department of Health.

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Upon learning of the data, former RI Director of Health Dr. Michael Fine said, "There are over 30,000 Rhode Islanders over 85. Israeli data suggests that those with chronic disease have the same risk of hospitalization and death as those who are unvaccinated.  Because we’ve allowed COVID to have high levels of community transmission, we’ve allowed the lives of these people to be put at risk."

 

Community Transmission in Rhode Island Is Surging

Rhode Island's transmission rate has jumped to 236 per 100,000 residents per week -- a level more than twice the Rhode Island action level of 100 per 100,000.

"It's not possible to know the meaning of a single day's measure. That said, there is now an increasing trend over the last week. That suggests increasing community transmission, perhaps related to school coming back in session or to Labor Day parties or both.  But this comes at a dangerous time, as laboratory data suggest that immunity wanes after six months. I fear bigger increases in community transmission and more hospitalizations in two to three weeks and more deaths in the weeks after that," said Fine.

"These are all preventable hospitalizations and deaths.  Shame on us for failing to respond to the rate of community transmission, which has been increasing since July," said Fine.

 

Deaths Increasing

In Rhode Island, there have been 29 deaths in the past week -- almost equal to August's 30 death. On Tuesday alone, RI reported 6 deaths. The state has now suffered 2,808.

"I'm not surprised. This was predictable and predicted by some. I am disappointed. That we failed to act in time to prevent these deaths. Our problem now is community transmission and not just vaccination  Deaths will continue to increase if we don’t act now to stop community transmission. It is now too late to arrest this with vaccination or boosters -- which haven't been approved yet by FDA," said Fine.

 

Data Points 

In Central Falls, a physician is testing about 100 residents a day and she is seeing a significant increase in cases.

"This is an anecdotal report from my colleague Dr. Beata Nelkin, a true hero who tests more than 100 people a day in Central Falls, the only physician in practice and she built herself with her own money to care for the undocumented and underserved,' said Fine. 

"If these numbers prove out I fear a repetition of the spring of 2020 when the virus began to circulate in densely packed communities and moved from there to the rest of the state," said Fine. "More community transmission will bring more hospitalization and death. Less so now because of the vaccine. But we are still at some risk because of waning immunity ."

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