Hi there,
Summer is winding down and Labor Day weekend is upon us. Many may be looking forward to one more long weekend traveling with family and friends. CDC’s Community Transmission by County tracker, shows almost 94% of counties in the U.S have high levels of COVID-19 transmission, so don’t forget your travel precautions.
CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are traveling with children who cannot get vaccinated at this time, follow recommendations for people who are not fully vaccinated and choose safer travel options. Maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others by getting vaccinated well before you travel. Regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in public when visiting areas of high and substantial transmission.
Your chance of severe complications from the Delta variant is lower if you’re fully vaccinated. However, since vaccines are not 100% effective, some fully vaccinated people will get COVID-19, or a “breakthrough infection.” We discuss more about breakthrough infections below, but also check out our Medical Director Dr. Russell Faust as he shares more information about Delta:
At least 72.5% of our residents 16 years or older have received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Visit the state’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and the Oakland County Vaccine Hub for even more vaccination data.
In good health,
Leigh-Anne Stafford Director, Health and Human Services
Breakthrough infections after vaccination
Are stories about individuals who are vaccinated experiencing breakthrough COVID-19 cases concerning you? That’s understandable! But these uncommon cases prove that vaccines prevent severe illness. Most people who get COVID-19 are unvaccinated. However, since vaccines are not 100% effective, breakthrough infections are expected.
As the number of people who are fully vaccinated goes up, the number of breakthrough infections will also increase. However, the risk of infection, hospitalization, and death are all much lower in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated people. One recent CDC study demonstrated strong effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing hospitalization among adults 65 years and older.
Some facts to remember:
- Fully vaccinated people with a breakthrough infection are less likely to develop serious illness.
- Even when fully vaccinated people develop symptoms, they tend to have less severe symptoms. They are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than people who are not vaccinated.
- People who get vaccine breakthrough infections can be contagious.
CDC coordinates with state and local health departments to report and investigate breakthrough cases. As of Aug. 16, 2021, more than 168 million people in the United States had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. During the same time, CDC received reports of 9,716 vaccinated patients (.00005783%) with a COVID-19 breakthrough infection who were hospitalized or died.
The bottom line: COVID-19 vaccines protect people against severe illness and death, including disease caused by Delta and other circulating variants.
Fact check - Adverse reactions, including deaths, following vaccination are rare
CDC & FDA have several systems in place to monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety. One of these systems, VAERS (U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event System), collects reports from patients and doctors of possible adverse events after vaccination. CDC provides timely updates on serious adverse events of interest.
Some online claims have questioned death rates following vaccination. Reports of death after COVID-19 vaccination are rare. FDA requires healthcare providers to report any death after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if it’s unclear whether the vaccine was the cause. CDC reports that from Dec. 14, 2020-Aug. 23, 2021, VAERS received 6,968 reports of death, just 0.0019%, among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Reports of adverse events following vaccination do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem. A review of available clinical information, including death certificates, autopsy, and medical records, has not established a causal link to COVID-19 vaccines.
Health Division upcoming vaccination sites
These locations will offer COVID-19 vaccinations in September for individuals 12 years and older.
General vaccination sites
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Monday-Friday- 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
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Oakland County Health Centers (Pontiac & Southfield)
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Friday, Sept. 3-Monday, Sept. 6
- Arts, Beats and Eats (Royal Oak), 12-4 p.m.
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Tuesday, Sept. 7
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Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
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Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m.
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Thursday, Sept. 9
- Oakland County Farmers Market Senior Market Day (Waterford
Twp.), 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.
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Troy Schools Services Bldg. (Troy), 3-7 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 10
- Rochester Community Schools Administration Building, 3- 6 p.m.
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Saturday, Sept. 11
- Berkley Art Bash, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
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Tuesday, Sept. 14
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Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
- Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m
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Thursday, Sept. 16
- Oakland Community Health Network Recovery Celebration (Troy),
10 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
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Best Western Premier Hotel (Southfield), 12- 5:30 p.m.
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Friday, Sept. 17
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Rhama Worldwide (Beverly Hills), 6:30-8:30 p.m.
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Tuesday, Sept. 21
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Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
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Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m.
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Tuesday, Sept. 28
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Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
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Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m.
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Wednesday, Sept. 29
- Best Western Premier Hotel (Southfield), 9 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
For more details, click on our Get Vaccinated page. You can also call 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for more assistance. COVID-19 vaccinations are provided at no cost.
Our website, OaklandCountyVaccine.com is the best place to receive the latest information.
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