Thousands died from Covid due to being under-vaccinated, new study suggests

15 January 2024 , 23:30

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Thousands of Covid deaths were due to a lack of vaccination, a new study says (Image: Getty Images)

Thousands died because they were under-vaccinated against Covid, scientists claim.

A UK-wide study found more than 7,000 hospitalisations and deaths might have been averted from June to September 2022. It showed that between one third and half were under-vaccinated by not having boosters, or not vaxxed at all on June 1, 2022.

Prof Sir Aziz Sheikh, from the University of Edinburgh, which carried out the survey with Health Data Research, said: “Covid-19 vaccines save lives. As new variants emerge, this study will help to pinpoint groups of our society and areas of the country where public health campaigns should be focused.”

Prof Sir Aziz Sheikh, from the University of Edinburgh said Covid-19 vaccines save lives (DAILY MIRROR)

Northern Ireland had the most under-vaccinated people at 49.8% followed by England at 45.7%. Scotland had 32.8% under-vaccinated with Wales at 32.8%. A total of 7,180 hospitalisations and deaths out of around 40,400 severe Covid-19 outcomes over the four months might have been avoided if all had been fully vaccinated.

The team also found that under-vaccination was linked to significantly more hospitalisations and deaths across all age groups studied. Under-vaxxed over-75s were more than twice as likely to have a severe outcome than the fully protected.

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Highest under-vaccination was in younger people, men, in deprived areas and among non-whites. Co-author Alan Keys of the British Heart Foundation said the study was a “powerful validation” of vaccines. Scientists studied anonymised NHS data. Prof Cathie Sudlow, of Health Data Research UK, urged data should be similarly collected on other diseases.

Dan Warburton